Agenda item

The update on actions is attached for the Panel's comments and sign-off of any completed actions.

The Panel received a report of the Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer updating Members on outstanding actions from previous meetings.   It was agreed that a number of the actions could be signed off.

With reference to item PR18 in the report, the SLM Contract Manager explained that price comparison analysis was conducted with competitors to ensure the best prices could be offered.  The Chair asked whether swimming only membership would be considered for the Leisure Centres; the SLM Contract Manager said that this was part of future plans.

With reference to item PR25 in the report, the Partnership and Performance Section Head explained that the current workload for Revenues and Benefits was increasing as a result of significant IT downtime in November and December on both Academy and Anite resulting in 100 more documents outstanding than the same time last year, and because as of October, Revenues and Benefits have been getting data match files from HMRC for pension credits going back up to four years which were identifying significant overpayments from pensions - and not explaining there were occupational pensions; this was new work.  There had also been significant changes to how persons from abroad were treated.  This had meant that these claims had been taking a lot of resource due to having to verify they had been in the country for five years and in paid work. Furthermore, a large number of these claimants were self-employed and had no accounts and this had also added to the workload.

Councillor Hastrick outlined a case where a constituent’s payments had apparently been cancelled within two days but had taken 11 weeks to reinstate.  The Partnership and Performance Section Head commented that this sounded like an exceptional case as reinstatement normally only took 30 days to complete.

Councillor Martins commented that he was a little worried about the increased workload for Revenue and Benefits although he appreciated the work had to be done.  The Partnership and Performance Section Head explained that the matter would be kept under review with further performance information being available in quarter three.  Councillor Joynes asked whether the data would go to the Budget Panel and/or Audit Committee.  The Partnership and Performance Section Head explained it would come to this Panel as it was a performance issue.

With reference to item PR26 in the report, Councillor Counter asked whether the information would go to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee - the Partnership and Performance Section Head said that it would.

With reference to items VE17 and VE18 in the report, Councillor Dhindsa asked whether the accuracy of the data was checked as there were still apparently problems in relation to both of these matters.  Councillor Counter commented that a special disinfectant could be used to remove the odour of cat urine that may help with regard to item VE18. The Head of Corporate Strategy and Client Services advised that she would alert the Contract Monitoring Officer to increase inspections in relation to both of those issues and to feedback the information from Cllr Counter to Veolia

ACTION - The Head of Corporate Strategy and Client Services to follow up with the Contract Monitoring Officer and feedback to the Panel

With reference to item VE20 in the report, the Head of Corporate Strategy and Client Services outlined recent press articles where there had been some criticism of the re-launch of the Food Waste Aware Campaign which was considered by the UKIP candidate as patronising and a waste of money.  However, the Watford Borough Council leaflet explaining the procedures was published on-line as a result and gained positive feedback from the public.  Consequently there was wider national and local media coverage than expected.  The next stage of the campaign would be to send out leaflets to flats shortly. The campaign was funded by a grant from the Department of Communities and Local Government, contained helpful information for the public with the intention of reducing the amount of food waste being wrongly disposed of in the black bins (34.7% of black bin waste was food which should be in the green bin ending up being composted rather than in costly land fill).  Councillor Scudder commented that the Watford Borough Council leaflet was an extremely useful and comprehensive document.

With reference to item VE22 in the report, Councillor Collett explained that the issue also related to litter in the alleyways to Sheriff Way and Nottingham Close.

ACTION - The Head of Corporate Strategy and Client Services to raise the matter with the Contract Monitoring Officer and report to the Panel.