Issue - meetings

Part A - Corporate Performance

Report of Director of Regeneration and Planning

Lead Cabinet member: Councillor Colin Swansborough

Part B - Financial Performance

Report of Chief Finance Officer

Lead Cabinet member: Councillor Stephen Holt

(Non-key decision):

(1) To note the achievements and progress against Corporate Plan priorities for 2018/19, as set out in Part A of the report.

(2) To agree the General Fund, HRA and Collection Fund financial performance for the quarter ended December 2018 as set out in part B of the report

(3) To agree the virements and transfer to/from reserves as set out at appendix 4 to the report.

(4) To agree the amended capital programme as set out at appendix 5 to the report.

(5) To agree the Treasury Management performance as set out in section 5 in part B of the report

(6) To approve the write offs as set out in the exempt appendix.

(7) To authorise officers, in consultation with the Leader and relevant Portfolio holder to accelerate the supply of suitable properties by Eastbourne Housing Investment Company Limited (EHICL) to mitigate the use of temporary and emergency accommodation, subject to business case. Any decisions/action taken by officers would be reported to the next available Cabinet meeting.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Regeneration and Planning updating members on the Council’s performance against Corporate Plan priority actions, performance indicators and targets over quarter three period for 2018/19 (1 October to 31 December 2018).

Significant achievements reported during the quarter included the opening of the Beacon on 30 November, waste mobilisation, rough sleeping initiative with Hastings Borough Council and project to reduce single use plastics in council buildings. Further details were contained in the report.

4.2 of the report detailed two areas where the Council had missed their targets for the quarter three period, including housing (emergency accommodation) and call handling.

Councillor Swansborough provided up to date statistics to the Cabinet on the average time to answer customer calls (29 seconds as at 15 March 2019) and praised the Customer Contact Centre team for their significantly improved performance.

The Cabinet discussed the national issue of homelessness and the steps the Council were taking to tackle the number of households living in emergency accommodation. The Director of Service Delivery advised the Cabinet that last week, the Council had reduced the number by 19, leaving 110 households in emergency accommodation.

The Housing Needs team set weekly targets on the number of households leaving emergency accommodation within 28 days, number of households under investigation and the average number of days in emergency accommodation. A landlord liaison scheme had been launched to incentivise private landlords. Unfortunately the private sector market was buoyant with professional tenants that was not only increasing rental cost but impacting on families most at need.

Alternative solutions were sought to assist in the supply of properties both for temporary accommodation and affordable homes. The Cabinet unanimously agreed an additional recommendation to tackle the scale and level of demand and this was detailed below.

Part B of the report detailed the Council’s financial performance for the same quarter. The Deputy Chief Finance Officer reported that the general fund and housing revenue account were scheduled to be on target by the end of the financial year. Councillor Holt and the Cabinet expressed their thanks to staff at the Bandstand for their outstanding work and being above target for income.

Resolved (Non-key decision):

(1) To note the achievements and progress against Corporate Plan priorities for 2018/19, as set out in Part A of the report.

(2) To agree the General Fund, HRA and Collection Fund financial performance for the quarter ended December 2018 as set out in part B of this report

(3) To agree the virements and transfer to/from reserves as set out at appendix 4 to the report.

(4) To agree the amended capital programme as set out at appendix 5 to the report.

(5) To agree the Treasury Management performance as set out in section 5 in part B of the report

(6) To approve the write offs as set out in the exempt appendix.

(7) To authorise officers, in consultation with the Leader and relevant Portfolio holder to accelerate the supply of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 72