Issue - meetings

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

The contents of the report are noted.

Councillor Clarke addressed Cabinet with a plea to change the emphases on the report as he found the presentation of some of the data to be confusing and inconsistent.

The Leader explained that reports were soon to be produced in an improved format and invited Councillor Clarke and other members to attend a training session to help their understanding of the data.

Councillor Mildren addressed Cabinet.  He asked if the reduction in the number of people visiting museums was as a result of the reduced opening hours.  He further questioned the figures relating to the collection of Council Tax following recent newspaper coverage of the NCC’s announcement that they were several £million short in their own collection.  He asked if this council was therefore performing better than its local counterparts.

Councillor Hawkins addressed Cabinet and referred to the expected failure to meet the target for museum visits.  She asked for strategies to be put into place to inspire and encourage more young people to take advantage of what museums had to offer.

As Portfolio Holder for Performance, Councillor B Markham presented the report to Cabinet and drew their attention to a number of data sets in the attached appendices.  He then congratulated waste collection staff for maintaining their service throughout the recent severe weather conditions.

It was pointed out that the figures relating to museum visits did not include outreach work undertaken with schools and local communities. It was noted that young people were introduced to culture and heritage in a number of ways that were not recorded in the data presented.  Congratulations were passed on to the Housing Solutions officers who had ensured that no one had been placed in bed and breakfast accommodation during the previous nine months. It was further noted that there had been success in bringing empty properties back into use, with approximately 400 council tenants now in private rented accommodation.

Cabinet speculated that the shortfall experienced by NCC in council tax collection might be attributable to fewer new houses being built across the county than originally anticipated when the targets were set.

RESOLVED

That the contents of the report be noted.