Agenda item

Report of the City Treasurer and Director of Policy, Performance and Communications

7.1     Steve Mair, City Treasurer, provided an overview of the Council’s financial position as at Period 6 (September 2015).  This covered the revenue and capital expenditure and finance strategic projects.  The Council was projecting a potential overall £1.082m underspend against the budget.  The forecast outturn for capital expenditure was £2.588m underspend against the budget.

7.2     The City Treasurer advised that the Local Government Finance Settlement was due to be announced on the 16^th or 17^th December.  It was unclear at the present time whether the government would provide a one or two-year settlement.

7.3     With reference to the forecast outturn, the City Treasurer was asked about the identified opportunities within the Directorate of the Executive Director of City Management and Communities.  He stated that a proportion of this related to car parking income.

7.4     Damian Highwood, Evaluation and Performance Manager, Strategic Performance team, introduced the remainder of the report which outlined the progress made against the performance management framework between April – September.  The Committee considered the major achievements and challenges, performance issues against internally set 2015-16 targets and  where key performance needed to be improved. 

          Key Messages at Quarter 2

7.5     Concern was raised by Members about some of the key findings from the results of the ‘Your Voice’ Staff Survey 2015 - (safe to speak up and challenge 48%), (staff supported through change 30%) and (satisfaction with work environment 46%).  Members commented that the good work undertaken by staff could suffer if officers do not feel valued by the organisation.  The Director of HR was asked what the Council was doing to raise morale and retain staff.  Carolyn Beech, Director of HR, advised that the Council was running a Leadership Academy programme to lead the organisation forward.  It will better equip managers with the necessary leadership tools, behaviours and skills.  She recognised that this form of training had not been undertaken for some time.  Initial feedback from those that had participated to date was that the training was starting to bear results although this would take time to filter throughout the organisation.  More broadly, the Council had identified a number of specific areas from the survey where focus would be targeted such as supporting staff through change.  All departmental managers had been asked to produce action plans responding to the individual results from their directorate by 20^th December.

          2014 Mid-Year Estimates

7.6     The Committee noted the details of the population change in Westminster from 2013-14.  The committee asked why the reduction in the female population was particularly pronounced.  It also asked about migration of international migrants specifically which countries they were coming from and whether this was for work purposes.  Mr Highwood explained that the former was based on an analysis in the previous year.  It was therefore difficult to tell whether this was a temporary change or a long-term trend.  It appeared that the reduction in the female population was based on the movement of families and young women out of the borough.  This could be due to issues around affordability and the impact of the benefit caps.  It was suggested that the Department for Work and Pensions new national insurance numbers could provide a profile of the numbers of workers and their nationality.

7.7     Members commented that the lack of affordable accommodation in Westminster was also leading to many more young people living at home.  The committee asked about the long-term effects of families and young women moving out of the borough on school places.  Mr Highwood indicated that this could result in a decline in the number of children in Westminster resulting in a greater number of school places being taken up by children from other London local authorities.  While there would be sufficient secondary school places for local children there could still be competition to obtain a place at a school of choice.

7.8     Mr Highwood was asked how the population statistics compared with the number of available dwellings in the borough.  Members expressed concern over the number of empty properties in the borough.  Mr Highwood advised that the Council had limited information about the number of unoccupied properties.  There was little benefit for owners to declare this. Members queried whether the Council should take advantage of its powers as a billing authority and charge a premium on a class of property that has been unoccupied and unfurnished for two years or more. The premium can be up to 50% of the council tax on the property.  The City Treasurer advised that due to its low Council Tax base the Council would only generate circa £90,000 whilst incurring administration costs.

7.9     The Committee asked about the increased time taken to process planning applications.  Members were informed that this was due to a number of unfilled posts within the department.  These were presently being filled and should result in an improvement in performance in the second half of the year.

7.10    With regard to service pressures and challenges within Growth, Planning and Housing, members asked whether the number of families in short-term nightly booked accommodation included those which the Council was working to provide with longer term leased properties outside of the borough.  Mr Highwood confirmed that the number did include such families.

7.11    Members asked about the financial impact of the extension of ‘Right to Buy’ to housing associations which is to be funded by the sale of high-value Council homes.  The City Treasurer advised that the Council was waiting for the final details to emerge once the bill had passed through Parliament.  He stated that the Council had undertaken some initial calculations and estimated that it would lose £1.5 million a year in revenue as there would be a delay between the sale of the high-value Council homes and funds coming forward from sales to buy replacement properties.

7.12    In relation to the notable areas of achievement in Policy, Performance and Communications, officers were asked whether the Open Forum event which had been launched to replace the Area Forums would be reformatted given the experience to date.  The Open Forum includes 3 citywide meetings per year which the Leader of the Council attends and answers questions from residents.  Mr Highwood was informed that due to the high attendance at previous events many residents did not have an opportunity to ask questions.  He undertook to take this back to the relevant officers for consideration.

7.13    Mr Highwood was asked for details about the Digital programme which was currently rated red/off track.  He informed the Committee that this related to two issues.  These were the way in which customers contact the Council and the flexible working arrangements that enable on street staff to use handheld devices to access and input information in order to improve the speed and operation of such services.

7.14    RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

7.15    ACTION:

          Finance

          Clarify whether the capital project to redevelop the Marylebone library is behind schedule and if so what impact this will have on the Council’s capital budget.  (Action for: Steve Mair, City Treasurer)

          Performance

1.     Supply details of what measures the Local Authority is undertaking to address the rising numbers of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children.

2.     Provide a breakdown by nationality of the international migrants coming into Westminster including the context for their migration, i.e. for work, studying or as dependents.

3.     Given the decline in the female population between 2013 and 2014 and possible falling child numbers in the population, provide details on current and future schools capacity.

4.     Is the increase in population in recent years being matched by an increase in council tax dwellings?  Provide information known on the number of empty properties within the borough?

5.     Supply details of rough sleepers who are not the responsibility of the Council.

6.     Supply details of where fly tipping incidents occur in Westminster.

(Action for: Damian Highwood, Evaluation and Performance Manager)