URL: https://watford.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=7173

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose: Quarterly performance and progress report

Content: Cabinet received a report of the Associate Director of Customer and Corporate Services, Delivery Support Lead, Intelligence, Performance and Improvement Lead and Community Commissioning Lead which provided an update on the council’s progress against the Delivery Plan, key performance indicators and strategies over the final quarter of 2024/25.   The Mayor thanked the officers for producing the report. He provided some highlights contained in the report, including the progress on the green agenda, the expansion of Beryl bikes and solar panels installed at Woodside Leisure Centre. There had been over 50 applications to the Mayor’s Small Grants Fund. The use of the AI chatbot was progressing well. It was noted that three additional parking enforcement officers had been employed.  There were continuing challenges within housing, but the team was doing good work under difficult circumstances.   The Mayor invited Councillor Rodrigues to provide additional comments.   Councillor Rodrigues also thanked the team for the report. He thanked the Mayor for referring to several highlights in the report. He noted the number of key performance indicators on target, under target and within tolerance. He added that for those areas within his responsibility, it was noted that the number of calls to the council were 14.3% higher than the previous year. Three new members of staff had been recruited in May, and this would further improve performance.   Councillor Bell welcomed the additional parking enforcement officers. He referred to page 88 within the report and the under-target performance of Beryl bikes, residual household waste and recycled and composted waste collection.   The Mayor responded to the comment about the performance of Beryl. He advised that over the last year usage had been over target. There had also been a move to electric bikes. He invited Councillor Stotesbury to respond to Councillor Bell’s comments.   Councillor Stotesbury advised that both he and officers met with Beryl to discuss performance and regularly received reports on usage. It was right that this should be referenced within the report, and he could advise that work was ongoing.   The Mayor then referred to Councillor Bell’s comments about waste. He noted that regarding recycling, food waste collection continued to be expanded to flatted developments. He invited Councillor Williams to provide further information.   Councillor Williams advised that there were a number of factors that affected the performance information. One impact was that there was minimal garden waste collected during the last quarter of last year. It was considered that there was still too much food waste getting put into the residual waste. As councillors, it was their role to encourage residents to recycle more. He had noted that the levels were lower than expected. He had already discussed the matter with officers at Watford and at the county council level.   The Mayor noted that the council was still within the top 25% of councils for recycling. Councillor Williams added that the Local Government Association banded various councils together. Within that group Watford was second out of 14. Stevenage was also within that group with a collection rate 10% lower than Watford. He provided example of other areas and their collections rates, for example, Harrow at 31.5% and Luton at 27.7%. Watford was in the top quarter of councils.   Councillor Stotesbury informed Cabinet that the discussions with the Environment Agency regarding the Water Restoration Fund had taken a great deal of officer time. However, he wanted to congratulate the officers and thank them for their work.   Councillor Dychton noted that the Mayor had referred to the community grants. She reminded Cabinet that it was National Volunteers Week, and she wanted to thank all volunteers across Watford for their work.             Resolved –   1.         that Cabinet notes the progress updates within this report relating to: ·        the Council Plan 2022-26 and Delivery Plan 2024 -26 (Appendix A) ·        the external key performance indicator results for Quarter 4 of 2024/25 (Appendix B) ·        the Voluntary Sector Commissioning Framework metrics for Quarter 4 of 2024/25 (Appendix C) ·        the council’s key corporate strategies (Appendix D)   2.         that Cabinet notes that the progress updates relating to the Delivery Plan, key performance indicators and key corporate strategies will be presented to Overview and Scrutiny Committee in June 2025.     3.         that the minor amendments to key performance indicators for the 2025/26 year, as set out in paragraph 7.4 of the report, are approved.    

Date of Decision: June 2, 2025