Agenda item

Report attached to be presented by Councillor S. Thorpe Cabinet member for Finance and Transformation

A report from Councillor Thorpe Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation had been circulated prior to the meeting. The Chair invited the Cabinet member to provide a brief overview of the report.

The Council member thanked the Chair and began by noting that this was the second time presenting the document. The report aimed to align with the three strategic objectives: scaling growth, improving children's lives, and tackling inequalities. There were also enhancements around service improvement outside these strategic imperatives.

Councillor Birchmore raised a question about the application of housing support, specifically referencing the Household Support Fund (HSF) mentioned on page 18. She asked if a decision had been made on how to allocate this tranche of money.

Councillor Thorpe explained that the allocation was being considered within the property strategy work stream. Kate Waterhouse Executive Director for Strategy and Transformation added that a methodology was being developed to support the strategy, including software to profile those who might benefit from the fund. The methodology was also used to promote the uptake of pension credits and other financial support. An action plan could be brought back to the committee for a deeper dive if desired.

It was followed up by noting that some councils were using the funding to help those on the borderline of not receiving fuel payments. It was asked if Bury was making a commitment in that direction.

It was indicated that such decisions would be made within the anti-poverty strategy, which would prioritize various needs.

A concern was raised about the low percentage of staff completing Performance Development Reviews (PDRs) and the potential impact on staff turnover.

This was acknowledged the low PDR completion rate and noted that it was a priority to increase engagement and performance. Kate added that engagement metrics were measured through a core survey, which showed positive trends. The Council was not highlighting any particular risk to organizational and staffing engagement at this time.

There was a discussion around the high number of Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs) in Bury compared to the national average and what could be done to bring the numbers closer to the average.

It was explained that the national average was not the most relevant comparison; instead, statistical neighbours provided a better benchmark. Bury had been an outlier for some time, and efforts were ongoing to ensure appropriate support for children with special educational needs. The Council had introduced a graduated learning approach to reduce the number of EHCPs over time. However, once a child had an EHCP, it was difficult to reduce the numbers quickly. The Council was also working to ensure that EHCP applications were appropriately assessed and supported.

This was followed up by noting that Bury might be doing more for children by granting more EHCPs and asked if Councillor Pilkington wanted to add anything as the current executive cabinet member.

The Council member emphasized that the focus was on doing the right thing for each child, rather than simply comparing numbers. Kate added that demand for EHCPs was often driven by parents' willingness to advocate for their children, which could vary by area.

A Councillor asked about tenant satisfaction and how it was measured since the housing department was brought back in-house. It was discussed that tenant satisfaction surveys were an ongoing process, not a one-time event. The housing subgroup would revisit the issue and bring it to the main committee for further discussion.

There was also discussed around the increase in the claimant count and it was asked what could be done to address this. Councillor Thorpe explained that the claimant count included people claiming benefits due to unemployment. The increase was a reflection of broader economic trends. The Council's role was to promote economic growth to address the issue.

It was Agreed:

·         The report be Noted