Decision details

The Director of Customer and Community Services submitted a report on the performance of key indicators relating to the Environment Scrutiny Committee during the period February to March 2011.

The Director reminded Members that this report was a regular item that was submitted to all of the Scrutiny Committees as an update of performance against key indicators.  The financial elements were included in a version of the report that was submitted to the Executive.

The Committee was advised that the East Herts Performance Indicators (PIs) were reviewed along with other targets every year.  Members were invited to ask questions of the Director in respect of the report now submitted.

Councillor N Poulton invited the Director to detail the difference between East Herts PIs and National Indicators (NIs).  The Director explained that East Herts PIs were not measured nationally and the Authority monitored the targets that were most relevant to Council business.

The Director stated that the definition of how indicators were measured had been set out by central government if they were originally national indicators.  The Parking Manager commented that PCN stood for Penalty Charge Notice and was essentially the parking ticket issued by Civil Enforcement Officers.  He stated that the NTO was a Notice to Owner, which was a statutory document issued to the public in pursuit of payment for parking offences.

Councillor G McAndrew sought and was given clarification on the process residents had to initiate if they wished to challenge a PCN.  The Parking Manager explained that the charge was reduced by 50% if paid within 14 days.  A resident would not be placed in any jeopardy by challenging a PCN.

Councillor J Wing expressed concerns in relation to the levels of repetition in the agenda papers.  He stated that he had been struggling to make sense of the abbreviations detailed in the reports.  He also questioned the need to included guidance on declarations of interest in each agenda issued to Members.

Councillor Wing requested that Officers provide Members with a list of the most commonly used abbreviations.  The Director commented that Members had been issued with a list of abbreviations last year.  He requested that the Scrutiny Officer arrange this list be made available to all members through their weekly Information Bulletin.

Councillor Wing commented on whether a missed bin collection included the failure by a resident to present a bin for collection. 

The Head of Environmental Services explained that if a bin was not presented for collection, this absence was recorded by the refuse crews.  If a resident complained of a missed collection and it had not been recorded as absent on the boundary on the collection day, a crew would be sent back to the property concerned.  Members were advised that the Authority was conducting about 80,000 collections each week.

Members received the report.

RESOLVED – that the report be received.