Issue - meetings

Report of the Chief Executive

Presented by the Leader

The Leader presented the report to Members and highlighted the following headlines:-

·           In September 2016 the RSPCA, for a fifth time, awarded the Council a ‘gold footprint’ award, the highest achievable award for the provision and care of stray dogs and that the council was one of only fifteen Councils in the country that had maintained a service at a level to qualify for a Gold Stray Dog Footprint for five years.

·           The annual Leisure Centre customer survey results showed that service standards have improved since the last survey in 2015.

·           The new community centre for the Linford and Verdon estate was completed on time in December 2016 and used for the tenants’ Christmas party and the completion of the work would allow the authority to progress the demolition of the former Greenacres sheltered scheme building ready for redevelopment with new Council housing.

·           The Revenues and Benefits Partnership had realised a reduction in council tax arrears of £910k (27.3%) as a result of their robust recovery strategy.

·           The high number of planning applications demonstrated that the Authority continues to experience strong demand for new development within the District and it was encouraging that the major developments that had been granted planning permission, such as DHL extension at the Airport, Amazon Fulfillment Centre at Bardon, and numerous high quality new housing developments, were getting underway quickly to deliver the new jobs and homes that drove the prosperity of the area.

·           The Coalville frontage scheme had gathered significant momentum and at the end of Quarter 3, 75% of businesses eligible to participate in the first phase of the scheme (Hotel Street and High Street) had received grants, had a grant approved, or were in discussion about obtaining a grant.

·           On 27 October, the Council hosted a celebration event for all recipients of Enterprising North West Leicestershire grants, attended by 48 delegates and promotional films had been made of some of the case studies and were available to see on the Council’s website.

·         Spending on both the General Fund and Special Expenses budgets were being managed effectively with a forecast underspend of £1.6 million.

·         The Housing Revenue Account was forecast to have a favourable variance of £467k.

·         The Housing Capital Programmes was expected to be on budget at the year end. 

·         An additional £225K in planning fee income and £260k in recycling income was projected by the year end. 

Councillor R Blunt added the only negative point was that the target average number of days lost to sickness per FTE for the year was 7.4 days and currently the year end position was forecast to be 8.92 days.  He informed Members that 60% of all sickness had been due to long term illnesses and a number of employees absent for long periods had left the employment of the Council through ill-health retirement or contract termination.

Councillor N J Rushton advised Members that he felt that the £1.6m was not an underspend but was down to the growth of the district as the planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 108