The Committee were presented with the Corporate Performance Update: Quarter Three 2022-23.  The purpose of this report was to update against the Performance Management Framework, as introduced within the Council’s Corporate Plan, for Quarter Three 2022-23 (October to December 2022).  Members were advised the report was for information only.

The Regulatory Services Manager highlighted key areas of the report and Members had their questions answered:

• Members attention was drawn to PI.3 which indicated the total number of reported Health & Safety incidents.  This showed that although there were 8 incidents in quarter 3, this was still considered low, as was a figure relating to the entire borough.
• The chair raised a query regarding PI.4 and whether the 95.7% of establishments who were compliant in the last quarter related to only those inspected during that quarter.  The Regulatory Services Manager informed Members that this figure reflects the level of compliance across all registered food businesses, in that 688 of the 719 registered food business in Gravesham were compliant.  Of the remaining 33 premises, 27 were newly registered and were yet to have their inspection.  He went on to say that as new businesses joined the register, they were placed on a waiting list to have an inspection.  During the interim period the Council could not be satisfied that these establishments complied until they had been inspected and therefore it was normal to be marked as non-compliant.
• The Committee were referred to PI.5 which showed the percentage of environmental health service requests that received a first response within 5 working days.  The Regulatory Service Manager highlighted that figures had remained high and informed the committee that the team had been piloting a mobile application to assist in nuisance investigations and to modernise the service. This new approach would enable the public to register a noise complaint online.

The Assistant Director (Operations) highlighted key points from the report and Members had their questions answered:

• The Committee were given an update on waste and recycling.  They were informed that in the last quarter during the period of adverse weather, some properties were not accessible for collection, however extra collections were carried out to those properties before the Christmas period.  The Chair was appreciative of the hard work by the team during the heavy snow fall and asked that his thanks be passed on.
• Reference was made to P1.9 which outlined the total volume of residual waste per household.  It was noted that residual waste had continued to fall.  Members were informed that there was also a reduction in recycling, which may have been due to the cost of living crisis with possibly less food being purchased and so less wastage.
• Members were informed that Gravesham now had 500 Street Champions who were currently undertaking The Great British Spring Clean.
• The Committee were advised that Gravesham had secured funding to clear the shopping parades throughout the borough of chewing gum, which has helped improve the street scene. Members queried if areas such as Painters Ash had been included.  The Assistant Director (Operations) assured the Committee that all shopping parades within the borough had been jet washed with chewing gum removed, as part of the grant scheme.  He went on to say that it was hoped that this process could be incorporated into the usual cleaning regime in the future.
• Reference was made to PI.11 and the time taken to respond the removal of graffiti.  It was noted that this continued to be actioned at a quicker pace.
• Attention was drawn to PI.12 and the percentage of areas with unacceptable littering.  The Assistant Director (Operations) notified the Committee that levels of street cleansing had improved through better equipment and changes to the cleaning schedules.  He also alluded that the team were looking at other ways to improve the street scene using external resources.
• The Assistant Director (Operations) informed Members of the recent opening of a number of renovated play parks within the borough.  He expressed that the funding for the playparks throughout the borough had provided fantastic transformations, completely changing the play park landscapes making a huge difference for the local communities.  Members queried how the playparks would be maintained and how the usage would be monitored.  The Assistant Director (Operations) advised that there would be an updated programme of improvement and upkeep.  With regards to monitoring this was being dealt with by the Parks & Open Spaces Manager and this information would be fed back to the committee at a later date.