23 December 2020

Committee Overview and Scrutiny

Date Tuesday, 12 January 2021

Time of Meeting 4:30 pm

This is a remote meeting in accordance with the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020. Members of the public will be able to view this meeting whilst it is in session by clicking on the link that will be available on the Agenda publication page immediately prior to the commencement of the meeting.

Agenda

1. ANNOUNCEMENTS

2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS

To receive apologies for absence and advise of any substitutions.

3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Pursuant to the adoption by the Council on 26 June 2012 of the Tewkesbury Borough Council Code of Conduct, effective from 1 July 2012, as set out in Minute No. CL.34, Members are invited to declare any interest they may have in the business set out on the Agenda to which the approved Code applies.

4. MINUTES 1 - 20

To approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2020.

Gloucester Road Tewkesbury Glos GL20 5TT Member Services Tel: (01684) 272021 Fax: (01684) 272040 Email: [email protected] Website: www.tewkesbury.gov.uk Item Page(s)

5. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FORWARD PLAN 21 - 25

To determine whether there are any questions for the relevant Lead Members and what support the Overview and Scrutiny Committee can give to work contained within the Plan.

6. OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE WORK PROGRAMME 26 - 34 2020/21

To consider the forthcoming work of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

7. COUNCIL PLAN PERFORMANCE TRACKER AND COVID-19 35 - 119 RECOVERY TRACKER - QUARTER TWO 2020/21

To review and scrutinise the performance management and recovery information and, where appropriate, to require response or action from the Executive Committee.

8. CUSTOMER CARE STRATEGY 120 - 133

To consider the Customer Care Strategy and recommend it to the Executive Committee to be approved.

9. COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY ACTION PLAN REVIEW 134 - 142

To consider the progress made against the actions within the Communications Strategy during 2020/21 and to endorse the action plan for 2021/22.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING TUESDAY, 9 FEBRUARY 2021 COUNCILLORS CONSTITUTING COMMITTEE Councillors: G J Bocking, C L J Carter, K J Cromwell (Chair), P A Godwin, H C McLain, P D McLain, H S Munro, J W Murphy (Vice-Chair), J K Smith, R J G Smith, S A T Stevens, P D Surman, S Thomson, M J Williams and P N Workman

Substitution Arrangements

The Council has a substitution procedure and any substitutions will be announced at the beginning of the meeting.

Recording of Meetings

In accordance with the Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014, please be aware that the proceedings of this meeting may be recorded. .

2 Agenda Item 4

TEWKESBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL

Minutes of a Meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held remotely on Tuesday, 24 November 2020 commencing at 4:30 pm

Present:

Chair Councillor K J Cromwell Vice Chair Councillor J W Murphy

and Councillors:

G J Bocking, C L J Carter, P A Godwin, H C McLain, H S Munro, J K Smith, P D Surman, S Thomson, P N Workman, D W Gray (Substitute for M J Williams) and V D Smith (Substitute for P D McLain)

also present:

Councillors C M Cody and R A Bird

OS.34 ANNOUNCEMENTS

34.1 The Chair advised that the meeting was being held under the emergency provisions of the Coronavirus Act 2020 and, specifically, the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020. The meeting was being broadcast live via the internet, it was not being recorded by the Council but, under the usual transparency rules, it may be being recorded by others.

OS.35 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS

35.1 Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors P D McLain, R J G Smith and M J Williams. Councillors D J Gray and V D Smith would be acting as substitutes for the meeting.

OS.36 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

36.1 The Committee’s attention was drawn to the Tewkesbury Borough Council Code of Conduct which was adopted by the Council on 26 June 2012 and took effect from 1 July 2012. 36.2 There were no declarations of interest made on this occasion.

OS.37 MINUTES

37.1 The Minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2020, copies of which had been circulated, were approved as a correct record.

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OS.38 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FORWARD PLAN

38.1 Attention was drawn to the Executive Committee Forward Plan, circulated at Pages No. 23-29. Members were asked to determine whether there were any questions for the relevant Lead Members and what support the Overview and Scrutiny Committee could give to the work contained within the plan. 38.2 It was RESOLVED That the Executive Committee Forward Plan be NOTED.

OS.39 OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE WORK PROGRAMME 2020/21

39.1 Attention was drawn to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2020/21, circulated at Pages No. 30-37, which Members were asked to consider. 39.2 Referring to amendments made since the last meeting, the Head of Corporate Services explained that the Review of Complaints Policy had been brought out of the ‘pending items section’ and added to the February meeting. As agreed at the last meeting, the Housing Strategy review had been removed from the Work Programme as it would be rolled on to next year. The Local Government Association (LGA) peer review report had been considered by the Executive Committee and recommended to Council with the action plan being monitored by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee so, once approved, it would be added to the Work Programme. 39.3 Referring to the 12 January 2021 meeting, a Member questioned whether the Parking Strategy review would be ready for consideration at that time. In response, the Head of Finance and Asset Management indicated that this had been left in the Work Programme in hope of the review having been undertaken; however, the events of the last month in respect of COVID-19 and other priorities meant the Parking Strategy review had not moved forward. The Finance team was now focussed on the budget so it was unlikely the Parking Strategy would be considered until the spring. He would speak to Members and then confirm the timetable. Another Member questioned whether there was a confirmed date for the presentation by Severn Trent Water. In response, the Head of Community Services advised that there was no agreed date yet but he would try and get an indicative date as soon as possible. 39.4 Accordingly, it was RESOLVED That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2020/21 be NOTED.

OS.40 ANNUAL REVIEW OF UBICO

40.1 The report of the Head of Community Services, circulated at Pages No. 38-77, provided the annual update on the Ubico contract for waste and recycling, street cleansing and grounds maintenance services. Members were asked to consider the 2019/20 outturn performance update on the services provided by Ubico Ltd. 40.2 In introducing the report, the Waste Contracts Manager explained that this was the annual service report and was provided to enable Members to monitor Ubico’s performance in terms of service and financial performance. Appendix 1 contained the full performance report and Appendix 2 provided the annual corporate report. She advised that there was a lot of information contained within the report but this demonstrated the diverse environmental services contract the Council had with Ubico. Referring particularly to Paragraph 3.0, it was noted that the 2019/20 Ubico contract sum of £3,860,014 had been overspent by £302,198 which had resulted in 2 OS.24.11.20 a full outturn contract cost of £4,162,212. In the main this was due to previously unidentified corporate costs and a grounds maintenance service support fund; the core service delivery budgets were well managed and the level of financial information provided by Ubico to the Council had improved significantly in recent months. A suitable amount had been allocated in reserves to cover those additional costs. Paragraph 4.0 set out the frontline services performance and showed a positive picture in terms of service delivery with relatively good performance. In terms of missed bins, the routes and rounds had been restructured so they worked better. There were also positive trends in health and safety and fleet management and, in terms of fleet management, Tewkesbury Borough Council’s contract score was the highest for the current year. 40.3 During the discussion which ensued, a Member referred to Paragraph 4.4 and questioned how it could be established that the majority of street cleansing reports were completed and closed within timeframes when there were no planned routes for the street sweepers. In response, the Waste Contracts Manager indicated that there were some schedules in place. The scheduled work was about how the routes and rounds took place on a daily basis but Paragraph 4.4 referred to the reactive work e.g. telephone / online reports that were sent to Ubico for action – those issues were put on the system with an action date for the work to be carried out. Work was being undertaken on the street cleansing schedules as some of them were out of date; this was part of the street cleansing review which was currently ongoing. In addition, the team was looking at procuring a larger, more efficient sweeper. 40.4 Referring to Page No. 51 and the household waste target which was identified as 60%, the Waste Contracts Manager indicated that the target was incorrect and instead should be in line with the working plan. The Council was struggling slightly to meet targets for the year for various reasons but the COVID-19 pandemic had seen increases in all collections. In response to a query regarding the cost of COVID-19, the Head of Finance and Asset Management indicated that the Council had been notified by Ubico of additional costs in the region of £100,000 for items such as PPE/extra staffing to meet safety requirements etc. The general COVID- related grants from government currently stood at around £1.4 million so some of that would be used to offset the Ubico costs in the period. Ubico itself was not receiving any support directly although the furlough scheme had been utilised for some staff who could not work due to being in the shielded or clinically extremely vulnerable categories. Ubico had been maintaining a detailed separate list of COVID costs which it would provide to the Council’s finance team to enable claims to be made, as appropriate, on that spend. 40.5 Referring to the information provided in the annual report, a Member felt it would be helpful to have more comparison information with previous years so that trends could be easily identified. In addition, at Page No. 53, the Member felt the number of new properties identified by Ubico did not seem to tally with the properties that were paying Council Tax which meant there could be some inaccuracies. He also referred to the number of household accidents and questioned whether this was correct as a refuse lorry had reversed into his gate in March 2020 and that incident was not mentioned in the list. In response, the Ubico Managing Director advised that she was unsure where the Ubico data came from for new households but she would discuss that with the Council’s Waste Contracts Manager. In terms of the accident referred to, this would be recorded as a vehicle accident rather than a household one as it involved a vehicle, she understood this could be confusing but advised it was the way the recording for insurance purposes worked – she would ensure an explanatory note was included in future. Another Member felt the diagrams in the report were difficult to understand, particularly when they referred to bins per 100,000 and maintained it would be more useful to specify the finite figures. In response, the Ubico Managing Director confirmed this would be possible and the figures would be supplied in that way in future. It was suggested that the author of the annual report work with the Council’s Corporate Services Team to better 3 OS.24.11.20 understand the information which was of most use to Members and how it could be displayed to make it more readable in terms of identifying trends etc. as this would enable improved discussion and questioning. 40.6 In offering his thanks, a Member indicated that the feedback from the residents in his Ward had been that there was no significant change in the waste collections throughout the COVID-19 pandemic for which they were very grateful. Another Member agreed and also indicated that the grass cutting around the Borough had been significantly improved this year from the previous three years which was also great news. He felt the street cleansing could be improved by using maps and schedules in the same way as the grass cutting service. The Head of Community Services confirmed that this was being reviewed and Officers had been working hard on getting schedules in place for street cleansing but it should be borne in mind that this was a huge job as every single bin and road had to be plotted. When the larger sweeper was in place it would be better as the smaller vehicle needed to be tipped too regularly. As an example, the Head of Community Services advised that in Northway alone there were 90 street litter bins so, if this was expanded across the whole Borough with mapping and scheduling, it was easy to see what an enormous task it was. The review had been frustrated by COVID-19 and, having recently been reintegrated into the Borough Council from the County Waste Partnership, the Waste Contracts Manager was building a small team to be able to undertake some of the larger projects like the street cleansing review. In terms of Parishes, a formula was being put in place to enable them to make an assessment as to whether a street litter bin was required which should make the process more efficient. In terms of overweight vehicles, the Ubico Managing Director explained that there was a specified gross weight of vehicles and, whilst they were not usually significantly overweight, it was important that this did not happen at all. Generally speaking, it tended to be the smaller vehicles which could be overweight as what they collected fluctuated. Referring to Paragraph 3.2 (iii), (iv) and (vi) of the report, a Member questioned what the amounts were for those items and if they had been accounted for. In response, the Head of Community Services confirmed this was last year’s report and the amounts would have been known. He undertook to get the information and forward it to Members following the meeting. In terms of the green waste service, the Head of Community Services confirmed this had been stopped during the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown as it was a non-statutory service and Ubico had to concentrate on the services which it had a duty to collect; in addition, the priority of services was set out in the business continuity plan to ensure the team could quickly decide which services would run and which were stopped when necessary. The two garden waste rounds had been supported by a third in the heavy months last year and agency staff had been mixed with regular staff to try and ensure the knowledge of the service and the rounds was passed between staff as it had been felt that a vast number of the missed bins were due to a lack of round and geographical knowledge. In terms of the missed bins data, a Member questioned whether if a complete street was missed this would count as one miss or a number of misses. In response, the Waste Contracts Manager confirmed that the missed bin reports came through the Firmstep system, so if everyone in the street each reported a miss they would all be counted; however, if one person reported on behalf of the street it would be one miss. The information was also checked through Ubico to ensure it was an actual missed bin rather than a bin that was not put out on time. In terms of resident satisfaction, whilst Ubico did not undertake resident satisfaction surveys specifically around bin collections, the low number of complaints led the team to feel residents were relatively happy with the service. In addition, the Head of Corporate Services advised that a recommendation from the Corporate Peer review had been that the Council should undertake a resident satisfaction survey - the last survey results had shown waste and recycling at the top of the list. A Member expressed concern about the statement at Page No. 69 that Ubico was exploring opportunities of integration of services with Cheltenham Borough Council and questioned when and why this was being undertaken. In 4 OS.24.11.20 response, the Head of Community Services advised that it was of course an aspiration for Ubico to become more commercial and to operate some services more closely with Cheltenham Borough Council given that parts of Tewkesbury Borough and Cheltenham Borough nearly overlapped. In addition, economies of scale meant it made sense to have a more joined up in approach. 40.7 The Chair thanked Ubico for the annual report and its efforts to improve the service and drive down complaints and, accordingly, it was RESOLVED That the 2019/20 outturn performance update on the services provided by Ubico Ltd be NOTED.

OS.41 GLOUCESTERSHIRE POLICE AND CRIME PANEL UPDATE

41.1 The Council’s representative on the Police and Crime Panel presented a feedback report, circulated with the Agenda at Pages No.78-79, on the meeting of the Panel which had taken place on 6 November 2020. The representative explained that the meeting had once again been conducted under COVID Regulations and had taken place via Zoom. 41.2 The matters covered by the meeting had included an update from the Police and Crime Commissioner; the COVID-19 Enforcement Plan; the Police and Crime Plan Refresh; the Criminal Justice Update; the opening of the Sabrina Centre; and the report from the Chief Executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner. In terms of the update from the Police and Crime Commissioner, it had been advised that Police Officer numbers had been increasing as planned and had risen from 1,168 to 1,194 since the end of September. COVID had not delayed plans but had actually helped, as there had been fewer retirees than anticipated. The Gloucestershire Rural Crime Week, which ran from 23 October, had a number of areas of focus including hare coursing, rural criminals, illegal angling and dog theft. The use of 4x4s and drones had been publicised and, whilst nationally the Rural Crime Week was cancelled, the Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable had decided that, given the nature of the County, it should proceed in Gloucestershire. The Bamfurlong Motor Patrol Centre at the junction of the A40 and M5 had been emptied of Police assets due to roadworks that had adversely affected response times, and in particular as they related to Gloucester, and Officers had been relocated to various locations to provide cover. A planning application had been submitted for an upgrade to the site and demolition of the existing site would commence in January 2021. Additional costs identified as occurring as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic amounted to £1.3 million so far, £1 million of which had been covered from reserves and the rest from central government grants. Crime had dropped by 6% as a result of COVID restrictions but this was less than the national average which was 20%. The Police and Crime Commissioner had suggested this was largely explained by the higher number of crimes being booked as a result of the recent negative conclusion of the review into the Force’s activities, which was a practice consistent with the “every crime matters” focus in the Police Plan. 41.3 Referring to the COVID-19 Enforcement Plan, the approach in Gloucestershire had been to follow the four Es: Engage, Explain, Encourage and Enforce. The focus was now on enforcement and flagrant breaches of the regulations would attract fines. The Police and Crime Commissioner had emphasised the wide range of views amongst the public and the need to make sure that enforcement was seen to be proportionate, being sensitive to different communities and age groups. In this regard the new second national lockdown had actually made life easier as the rules were simpler to interpret.

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41.4 The Police and Crime Plan covering the period 2020-2022 had been reviewed and the Police and Crime Panel had approved its themes. The areas of focus were: every crime matters, including improved recording of crimes; safer days and nights; young people becoming adults, particularly being a ‘child friendly’ county; older but not overlooked, considering the impact on mental health and the rise in dementia etc. which absorbed a lot of Police time looking for people who were missing; safe and social driving; and a green and pleasant county, including plans to make the force carbon neutral. 41.5 In terms of the criminal justice update, it was pointed out that the condition of the Courts was not directly an issue for the Police and Crime Commissioner or the Police as they had no jurisdiction there however, the continued failure to address the condition and accessibility of the Courts was something that COVID had worsened and this had consequences for the ability of the Police to deliver justice in a timely manner. Local politicians had been encouraged to bring the poor state of Gloucestershire’s Courts to the attention of the government. 41.6 The new Sabrina Police Training Centre had now opened. As there were a number of new Police Officers coming onstream, the new facility was expected to yield benefits going forward in terms of the speed they could be brought through the system. 41.7 Members were advised that the next meeting of the Police and Crime Panel was scheduled to take place on 9 February 2021. The Chair asked that the representative find out how Gloucestershire ran its recruitment as a recent experience had shown it to be relatively slow when compared to other forces. Accordingly, it was RESOLVED That the Gloucestershire Police and Crime Panel Update be NOTED.

OS.42 GLOUCESTERSHIRE HEALTH OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE UPDATE

42.1 Members received an update from the Council’s representative on the Gloucestershire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) on matters discussed at the meetings on 22 October, 11 November and 17 November 2020. She referred Members to the fact that a report had been circulated with the Agenda at Pages No. 80-82 and separately at Pages No. 1-3 and she intended to highlight some of the salient points contained in those reports - Members should look at the full reports which were available on the County Council’s website for the detailed information. 42.2 The representative advised that 22 October had been an additional meeting to look at progress with the Fit for the Future consultation and the consultation on the new hospital in the Forest of Dean. The Fit for the Future consultation had been discussed on numerous occasions during its progression but it had recently been slightly delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan was to look at acute hospitals and how they were functioning as well as how Centres of Excellence could be developed within existing resources. The public consultation was due to close on 17 December and everyone was encouraged to respond. In terms of the new hospital in the Forest of Dean, this would be a 24 bed ensuite facility built on the lower side of Cinderford. The current hospital provision at Lydney and the Dilke would be closed. The new hospital would have inpatient and outpatient facilities although further discussion and input was needed to determine what would be provided in the new hospital and what would be provided in Lydney at the proposed new health centre. It was anticipated that the new hospital would have an urgent care department which would include diagnostic services such as x-rays and would 6 OS.24.11.20 run from 8am to 8pm seven days a week. 42.3 Referring to the meeting on 11 November, the representative explained that this was the annual briefing by the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Trust. It was felt the merger earlier in the year had gone well and the benefits were starting to be seen. The Trust was part of the wider health care system, in association with acute hospital colleagues, and plans had been made to ensure they all got through the winter, meeting needs and coping with increased demands. There had also been an introduction of the Home First Scheme which encouraged discharge as soon as someone was medically fit to go home or to a re-enablement resource. A Rapid Resource Team was also in operation to try and prevent hospital admissions by care in the community – currently around 90% of the services were provided in the community which increased independence and life opportunities. All seven hospitals in the county were set up to take COVID positive patients alongside other patients and the general hospitals were continuing as previously, with Cheltenham being a ‘green’ site with no COVID patients and Gloucester Royal having all patients in specific wards. In terms of COVID testing, this was split into pillar one, all NHS frontline and care staff and families, and pillar two, for everyone else. High levels of mental health issues were being seen in Gloucester so a complex emotional needs team had been set up to help prevent admissions to Wotton Lawn Hospital – there was also a new street triage service whereby mental health nurses would go out with the Police if it was felt to be necessary. Everyone had been reminded that the crisis team operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 42.4 The meeting on 17 November had discussed the public representation and feedback on the phlebotomy service. Virtual appointments had resulted in people being asked to go to the General Hospitals for blood tests, which had problems in people being able to get there by public transport. Even bigger problems were experienced from outlying areas like Fairford, where transport was even more difficult. 42.5 In terms of the COVID update for 2-8 November, Members had been advised that waves one and two could not be compared directly as there was better testing in wave two. However, it was known that whilst fewer care home patients had been seen there had been an increase in the number of patients from younger age groups. The numbers in Gloucester Royal Hospital were near to the numbers at the peak in wave one but there were not as many people in intensive care. Cluster outbreaks were being examined daily and investigated - care homes had seen less infections recently in residents but there had been an increase in staff infections so revised guidance and training was to be provided on the use of Personal Protective Equipment and on visitors to homes. The Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group performance report had also been considered and it had been noted that, in terms of cancer treatment targets, the two-week consultation target was still very good but the 52 days to treatment target had slipped slightly. In terms of the One Gloucestershire Integrated Care System Lead Report, a virtual COVID ward had been set up where people who had tested positive with symptoms were having their oxygen levels monitored on a daily basis – if they deteriorated they would be admitted - and if their levels improved it showed they were past the worst. In terms of the Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group Chair/Accountable Officer report, there was good information contained therein and the representative encouraged Members to read it but there were no highlights to bring to Members attention in particular. 42.6 The Chair thanked the representative for her report, and it was RESOLVED That the Gloucestershire Health Overview and Scrutiny Update be NOTED.

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OS.43 GLOUCESTERSHIRE ECONOMIC GROWTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE UPDATE

43.1 The Council’s representative on the Gloucestershire Economic Growth Scrutiny Committee (GEGSC) presented the report, circulated with the Agenda at Pages No.83-84 and separately at Pages No. 4-8, which contained a summary of the Committee’s meetings held on 21 October and 18 November 2020. 43.2 The two main parts of the meeting on 21 October had covered the Golden Valley Project and an update from GFirst Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The Golden Valley presentation, which the representative suggested would be worth viewing, had noted that Gloucestershire had the largest concentration of cyber businesses in the UK outside of London. In terms of economic growth, the development could potentially deliver more than 12,000 jobs and contribute approximately £800 million to the economy for the Golden Valley site alone. In terms of the GFirst LEP update, the paper provided was largely the same as the information presented at September’s meeting but did include some additional information to provide a more complete context, which was helpful. 43.3 The meeting on 18 November had consisted of three parts: a Joint Committee update; a presentation on modern methods of housing construction; and an update from GFirst LEP. The main items in the Joint Committee update had been the Gloucestershire skills portal which provided job seekers with a list of local and national contacts and training opportunities; an overview of the Committee’s work; an update on the Kings Quarter Regeneration Project in Gloucester; a document that delivered a snapshot of the current status of strategic and local plans in the county; and an update on the Business Rates Pool. Bromford Housing Association had delivered a presentation on modern methods of housing construction which the representative had found to be extremely interesting. The presentation had explained that, in future years, Gloucestershire would face significant housing growth to meet the demand for new homes and delivery of that housing would provide important challenges. It had been explained that modern methods of construction were not intended to replace traditional construction methods but to be used alongside them and it had been agreed that representatives from some private building developers would be invited to a meeting in the near future so their plans could be scrutinised and a summary report produced. Finally, in terms of the GFirst LEP update, Members had been advised that the total Gross Value Added (GVA) for Gloucestershire was estimated to be £16.5 billion; the number of young people (18-24 year olds) claiming benefits in Gloucestershire was currently 3,725 which was 19.6% of the total working age claimants in the county; the second phase of the Self Employment Income Scheme Grant had seen a total of 21,300 claims made in Gloucestershire up to 30 September with a take up rate of 62% of those potentially eligible; and the total value of loans offered to businesses in Gloucestershire, as part of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and Bounce Back Loan Scheme now stood at £483 million. 43.4 The Chair thanked the representative for his update and reminded Members that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee received reports from the county groups to ensure the District Councils were integrated in the work so it was useful if Members could ask questions and make comments that could be fed back by the representatives. Accordingly, it was RESOLVED That the Gloucestershire Economic Growth Scrutiny Committee Update be NOTED.

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OS.44 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM STRATEGY

44.1 The report of the Head of Development Services, circulated at Pages No. 85-113, outlined the progress to date on the three year action plan in respect of the Economic Development and Tourism Strategy, as well as outlining the actions for 2020/21. Members were asked to consider the progress made against the delivery of the Economic Development and Tourism Strategy during year three and the actions identified for 2020/21. 44.2 Members were advised that there were five key priorities in the strategy: employment land planning; transport infrastructure improvement; business growth support; promoting Tewkesbury Borough; and employability, education and training. Under each of the headings were a number of objectives and under each objective were annual actions. The Economic Development and Tourism Strategy was a corporate strategy which involved contributions from across the Council. It was important to note that the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted on the action plan delivery but the teams had worked to move services online and to operate a ‘virtual’ offer. The Community and Economic Development Manager indicated that, of particular note, was that the Growth Hub team had acted rapidly to realign its service in response to COVID-19 and had developed an online webinar, one-to-one offers and focussed business support request forms and surveys to ensure targeted support. Looking forward, the team would be focussing on economic assessments, understanding the needs of businesses, recovery from COVID and how support could be offered going forward. The strategy had been due for refresh next year but this would be delayed due to the uncertainty in the business community - it was felt this would be more effectively undertaken in 2022 when there was a clearer picture of what was happening in the business community. 44.3 During the discussion which ensued, a Member queried the amount of smiley faces contained within the action plan. In response, the Community and Economic Development Manager explained that this was due to the way the actions were grouped and the emphasis on what had been achieved. Progress was undoubtedly quicker in some areas than others but on the whole what should be achieved was being achieved. He did however accept that the action plan needed to isolate actions better so they could be more accurately reflected. The Chair agreed that this was required and indicated that, as well as being told what was going well, Members also needed to know about those items which were not going as well, as the Committee may then be able to help progress things. 44.4 Having considered the report, it was RESOLVED That progress made against the delivery of the Economic Development and Tourism Strategy during year three, and the actions identified for 2020/21, be NOTED.

OS.45 TOURISM REVIEW

45.1 Attention was drawn to three specific projects by the Community and Economic Development Manager. Members were advised that the Battlefield Interpretation project, which was a Battlefield Society led project, was looking at providing a focus for the battlefield. It was felt something was needed which was accessible all year round and, whilst a number of options had been considered, the focus now was on the Gupshill Manor and an outbuilding on the site which could be used for interpretation and to act as a central point for walks into the Town Centre. The Gupshill Manor was very amenable to the ideas but was currently going through the process of getting support from Greene King which was taking quite a long time. In terms of Tewkesbury 2021, this was a project based around organising a series of events throughout 2021 to celebrate 900 years since the consecration of

9 OS.24.11.20 Tewkesbury Abbey and 550 years since the Battle of Tewkesbury; the events would celebrate the culture and heritage of the Abbey. Unfortunately, the plans had been somewhat hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic as it was not known what could or could not go ahead but the Executive Committee had recently agreed to support the project with a grant of £25,000 which it was hoped would kickstart the planning process once more. Lastly, the tourism review had been delayed until the summer due to COVID-19 but a consultant had been appointed to look at the current offer, future offers and the resources required. The final report was due in January, and the consultant was present at today’s meeting to provide a presentation of her findings. 45.2 Members were advised that the review had been split into two parts; an external market assessment (visitor behaviour and digital trends) and internal assessment (tourism product, current tourism resource and stakeholders). Recommendations had then been made in terms of the Council support which would be required for the key projects. In addition, a review of key partner stakeholders, business models, initiatives and the opportunities they presented had been undertaken. The recommendations being made were about the key priorities for strategic direction for tourism in the Borough to 2025, including the response to COVID-19; to engage and support tourism businesses, including working with Gloucestershire Airport, key events and the Tourist Information Centres; headline ideas for income generation and a business model; outline marketing focus to 2025; and a suggestion of the resources needed. The consultant outlined her experience in the tourism sector which included working for the Forestry Commission at Westonbirt; Visit Bristol; Visit Cheltenham and the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley. In terms of Tewkesbury Borough’s tourism economy, Members were provided with a snapshot taken pre- COVID which had shown approximately 158 tourism businesses made up of 129 accommodation businesses and 27 attractions; 2,273 jobs in tourism in the Borough which was 5% of all employment; visitors to the Borough had spent just under £136 million in 2019; the impact of the tourism economy went far wider than ‘traditional’ tourism and included £23 million on accommodation, £16 million in attractions, £32 million in shopping and £41 million on food and drink. In terms of all staying trips in 2019, the comparison showed Tewkesbury Borough having an average performance which was above Stroud and the Forest of Dean Districts but below Gloucester City, Cheltenham Borough and Cotswolds District – it was noted that, since 2014, staying trips had increased by 19% spending approximately £47 million. In terms of day visits and day visit spend in 2019, Tewkesbury Borough had 1.8 million visitors spending £64 million which represented a fall of 5% since 2014. Tewkesbury Borough had the lowest day visitor spend of all of the Districts at £63.8; this compared to the highest spend in Cotswold District of £221.6. The tourism economy snapshot during COVID-19 had seen 12 commercial businesses/charities interviewed which had shown a mixed picture but all had lost significant income to varying degrees; potential closure for some bed and breakfasts, guest houses and smaller hotels with all corporate business and weddings lost; Great Western Railway had seen a 90% loss of income and Tewkesbury Abbey had lost 72% of its income; outdoor activities, self-catering, camping and caravanning had seen significant footfall in July and August for domestic day and staying leisure visitors; September and October had been much quieter with the usual older visitors, coach groups and overseas travellers not travelling; the Office of National Statistics reported in early November that accommodation and food service activities industry had the highest percentage of businesses with no cash reserves at 6% compared with 3% across all industries; and the accommodation and food service activities industry had the highest percentage of businesses with no or low confidence that their businesses would survive the next three months at 32%. In terms of the external assessment, the headlines looking forward were that lockdown and travel restrictions would continue into 2021 with people staying locally; the overseas market was not set to recover until 2024 with domestic tourism likely for the next 18 months, particularly in rural destinations and self-catering; there was consumer 10 OS.24.11.20 demand for digitisation and need for experiences; the county strategy to support tourism would offer opportunities with Visit Gloucestershire, Cotswolds Tourism, Tourism Zones and the Tourism Sector Deal; the consumer focus was on being safe from COVID with less travel on public transport and interest in the environment continuing; the market would be competitive with 95 towns and villages in the wider Cotswolds; there was concern from local residents about attracting visitors who may bring COVID with them. In respect of the internal assessment, there were a lot of attractions across the Borough and there were opportunities in the towns of Tewkesbury and Winchcombe as hubs as well as walking and cycling opportunities; the current resource available to support tourism was minimal; there was no dedicated staff resource coordinating or leading on the visitor economy; there was no active public or private group to support or drive tourism in the Borough or in the towns; there was no cross-working resource to bring together other visitor economy related projects such as the Heritage Action Zone, the Garden Town or the Cultural Consortium; all projects/initiatives including Tewkesbury 2021, Heritage Park, Experience Winchcombe needed experienced tourism strategy, marketing and digital support input; Tewkesbury 2021 was a big year with an opportunity to deliver civic pride and a positive knock-on effect for promotion of the destination for visitors; there was a need for a clear distinction of destination brands for Winchcombe and Tewkesbury to include local culture, retail and hospitality; the product offer in the area was good, however traditionally lacked year-round experiences, particularly in Tewkesbury; there was no marketing plan or resource to proactively grow the visitor economy; and there was an opportunity to support place-making - not just tourism – for Tewkesbury Borough as a great place to live, work, visit and invest. The full report was due for completion in January but the next steps as she saw them were to ‘survive’ with immediate engagement and support for businesses in the short- term; ‘recover’ with support for businesses to make as much money as possible to continue trading; and to ‘thrive’ to become stronger more distinct brands within the Cotswolds family with proud engaged communities. 45.3 A Member noted that the map of tourist attractions provided did not include Gwinnett’s Tomb in Down Hatherley; he was the second signatory on the American Declaration of Independence and, whilst he was not buried there it was his family tomb. In response, the consultant indicated that there was much that was not included as it was not known about very widely; however, when working more digitally it was possible to create tourism resources at a low cost. In addition, information could be shared by people that understood it as part of a bigger story. This was the reason places needed someone to champion the area, tell the stories and share them widely – this was known as a destination marketer. 45.4 In response to a query about where the final report on the tourism review would go, the Head of Corporate Services indicated that this would depend on the content of the report e.g. if it required funding/resource then a report would be prepared to go to the Executive Committee. Another Member agreed with the central thrust of the information provided in the presentation. He explained that he had lived in the Borough for five years and pre-COVID he had had a lot of visitors but none of them had known about Tewkesbury Borough or its heritage assets and he felt the Council was missing a big opportunity in that regard. Another Member thanked the consultant for her interesting presentation, he understood the need for the Borough to better promote itself but he questioned whether she had taken into account the links the Growth Hub had with the business community and the promotion it already did in that regard. The Chief Executive agreed with the view and advised that it would be helpful for the final report to reference the work the Growth Hub did, he understood the need for more resources for tourism but felt the resource that was already available should not be forgotten. In addition, referring to Visit Gloucestershire, he advised that the Joint Committee for Economic Growth had identified tourism and tourism recovery as a key consideration for all Councils in the county and work around that was being done on behalf of the Joint Committee 11 OS.24.11.20 which would receive proposals in due course. The County Council was proposing to make a grant to Visit Gloucestershire to look to supporting tourism next year and the Council’s team was part of those discussions – he hoped all of this would be referenced. He explained that the Council had limited resources due its size, which had also been stretched by COVID-19, to the extent of having a potential deficit over the five year Medium Term Financial Strategy period of more than £5 million. This would lead to some tough challenges and decisions on the services it was able to support. There was a lot which was unclear at the current time and would depend on what the government was able to do to support local authorities going forward. A partnership approach would be essential between the public and private sector to ensure the tourism economy was supported and he would be interested to understand the various models and how to access funding; he understood this would be a choice for the Council but if it had private sector partners that drew in more support that would be helpful. 45.5 A Member noted that he had heard it commented frequently over the summer that the Tourist Information Centre in Tewkesbury was not open and he questioned why this was. In addition, he was of the view that the state of the building was not a good reflection on Tewkesbury and asked that the windows and doorway be cleaned. He also referred to the twinning links with Miesbach and felt this could be built upon more than it was currently. The consultant agreed that twinning was definitely an opportunity that needed to be communicated with the right people. The Visit Gloucestershire strategy would be really important as it would work with the districts on all of those ideas. There could be challenges faced with funding as often it was provided to destination marketing organisations which Gloucestershire did not currently have and she felt this did need to be urgently addressed. In response to the Tourist Information Centre query, the Economic and Community Development Manager explained that he would ensure the cleaning was undertaken. The Centre in Winchcombe was in the library and therefore had not been able to open. In addition, many of the staff in the Centres had been in the shielding category during the first lockdown. Once lockdown had been lifted, the decision had been taken, from a safety point of view, that the Tourist Information Centre in Tewkesbury would remain closed in line with the reception area at the Council Offices. The websites and social media channels continued to be updated and the calls to the Centres were being transferred to staff so were being answered. This situation was due to be reviewed shortly but Officers felt there had to be careful thought to the amount of marketing that could be done so visitors were not being encouraged to areas where there were restrictions in place. 45.6 Accordingly, it was RESOLVED That the information provided in respect of the tourism review be NOTED.

OS.46 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY - ANNUAL REVIEW

46.1 The report of the Head of Corporate Services, circulated at Pages No. 114-140, set out the progress on the actions contained in the Workforce Development Strategy which Members were asked to consider. 46.2 The Committee was reminded that the purpose of the Workforce Development Strategy was to identify how the Council would meet the current and future workforce needs to ensure it had skilled people to deliver high quality services. It set out the critical challenges, opportunities and threats regarding workforce requirements as well as a considered and flexible set of responses to meet them. The current Strategy had been approved by the Executive Committee on 3 April 2019 following consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and it was agreed that an annual update on the delivery of the Strategy would be presented at Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The Strategy had five key themes: releasing 12 OS.24.11.20 productivity; digital transformation; commercialisation; workforce resilience; and being a great place to work each of which were supported by high-level steps. The Strategy was attached to the report at Appendix 1. Appendix 2 provided an overview of the actions delivered and proposed actions moving forward and Appendix 3 set out the Key Performance Indicator metrics that were approved as part of the Strategy. Whilst the Strategy was led by the Human Resources team, it was an organisational strategy and had received full engagement from the Management Team. 46.3 The HR and OD Manager drew particular attention to key points from Appendix 3: candidate attraction was currently good with an average of 16 applications for every vacancy; there had been a drop in absence rates to 4.3 days per person – this would equate to 8.6 days across the year which was less than the 12.4 days per employee last year – mental health remained at the top of the reasons why people were having time off and the Council was continuing to put in support for that; the employee engagement opinion survey had not been done this year but had been replaced by a COVID specific survey and followed up by a ‘pulse check’ survey which had six multiple choice questions that would provide up to date and responsive data on how staff were doing – this would be run every quarter for the time being. In terms of the forward plan, Members were reminded that this was a five-year Strategy of which the Council was about to complete the first year. Already quite a lot had been covered and there was a lot in the plan for next year which was good. The plans were quite ambitious but if delivered the Council and its staff would be in a good place. 46.4 A Member noted that the Key Performance Indicators measured the cases of absence but he questioned whether there were detailed statistics available to enable the Council to hone in and focus on the biggest issues. In response, the HR and OD Manager explained that the figures came from the HR and payroll system and when people reported their sickness absence it was recorded into categories. This meant it was possible to run reports to show the number of days lost to stress, anxiety etc. and support was then tailored to the high areas of absence; this also included the services the absences were in so patterns could be identified. Historically, mental health training was run for all staff annually with additional training for managers but there was also a lot of day to day support and, during the COVID-19 pandemic, additional support was available such as a debriefing service for those that had difficult experiences on telephone calls etc. to enable them to work through what had happened. The Council also had in place a counselling service for all staff to access whereby they received eight sessions with a trained Counsellor. To date, this had been a well-used service with 44 sessions taken up in the last quarter. In addition, the Council had an Occupational Health Service which provided the opportunity to ‘jump on’ issues as quickly as possible and a mental health action plan that could be put into place, to try and avoid an Officer having to take sickness absence, by providing the support they required at an early stage. The Member also noted that while the voluntary turnover and retention values were shown as percentages, it would be more helpful to have them in number terms. The HR and OD Manager undertook to include those figures in reports going forward but for the current report this equated to three people for voluntary turnover – two of which had fixed-term contracts – and two in terms of retention. In addition, the Head of Corporate Services advised that the Strategy had been assessed externally against the Health and Wellbeing Charter across all categories and had been awarded excellence in five out of eight. One of those was around mental health so the Council had a good record in that regard. Another Member welcomed that news and questioned what percentage of staff were currently off with work-related stress. In response the HR and OD Manager undertook to identify that figure and circulate to Members following the meeting. Whilst staff were using the support services offered, currently, fewer people were making use of the Mental Health First Aiders across the Council and there was a plan to promote them with staff. There had been 13 OS.24.11.20 sessions provided on wellbeing and a series of six sessions had recently been commissioned which would focus on mindfulness. A Member suggested that Councillors should also be included in the mental health and mindfulness training which was offered and the HR and OD Manager undertook to discuss this with the Head of Democratic Services. 46.5 Accordingly, it was RESOLVED That the progress of the Workforce Development Strategy Actions be NOTED.

OS.47 COUNCIL MOTION - SUPPORT FOR LOCAL ELECTRICITY BILL

47.1 The Committee was reminded that at the meeting of the Council on 29 September 2020, the following Notice of Motion was referred to Overview and Scrutiny for consideration and recommendation to Executive Committee for a decision: ‘Power for People is a campaign for more local, clean energy generation that would benefit local communities. They are a not-for-profit organisation campaigning for the Local Electricity Bill – that they authored – to become law. The Bill is currently supported by a cross-party group of over 200 MPs including Tewkesbury’s own MP Laurence Robertson. The Bill aims to solve the current problem whereby local renewable energy generators, such as community energy groups, are unable to sell energy that they generate to local people. This is because of the huge setup and running costs involved in doing so. The Bill would overcome this problem by establishing a Right to Local Supply that would make the costs of selling locally generated clean energy proportionate to the scale of the operation. This would benefit the existing community energy groups across the country and, even more excitingly, create the opportunity for huge growth in such groups and other local clean energy providers. If the Bill became law it would be excellent news for public authorities that wished to set up their own energy companies to sell locally generated renewable energy to local people, as the set up and running costs involved would be proportionate and thus a fraction of what they are now. The revenues received by such authorities could be ploughed back into local emissions reduction schemes and other local services and facilities. A full copy of the Bill and the names of the 200+ MPs supporting it can be viewed via the following link https://powerforpeople.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Local-Electricity-Bill.pdf A copy has also been emailed to all Members of the Council In light of the above, the Council is asked to: 1. sign up to the campaign www.powerforpeople.org.uk/sign-up and 2. adopt the resolution set out below: Tewkesbury Borough Council: (i) acknowledges that it has made efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy; (ii) recognises that Councils can play a central role in creating sustainable communities, particularly through the provision of locally generated renewable electricity;

14 OS.24.11.20

(iii) further recognises that: a) very large financial setup and running costs involved in selling locally generated renewable electricity to local customers result in it being impossible for local renewable electricity generators to do so, b) making these financial costs proportionate to the scale of a renewable electricity supplier’s operation would create significant opportunities for Councils and Community Groups to be providers of locally generated renewable electricity directly to local people, businesses and organisations, and c) revenues received by Councils that became local renewable electricity providers could be used to help fund local greenhouse gas emissions reduction measures and to help improve local services and facilities; (iv) in view of the above, the Council supports the Local Electricity Bill, currently supported by a cross-party group of more than 200 MPs, and which, if made law, would make the setup and running costs of selling renewable electricity to local customers proportionate by establishing a Right to Local Supply and will:  inform the local media of this decision,  write to local MPs, asking them to support the Bill, and  write to the organisers of the campaign for the Bill, Power for People, (at 8 Delancey Passage, Camden, London NW1 7NN or [email protected]) expressing its support’. 47.2 The Chair explained that he would firstly ask the proposer of the Motion to present it to the Committee, followed by the Deputy Chief Executive presenting his report circulated with the Agenda at Pages No. 141-154. The item would then be opened up for questions and debate before determination of what response should be provided to the Executive Committee in respect of this Motion. 47.3 The proposer of the Motion indicated that, in her view, the issue was that the Country was not meeting its climate change targets – the United Kingdom was way off track to meet its carbon emissions targets in the Climate Change Act. Community-scale renewable energy had huge potential to help solve that problem and benefit local economies, yet it was currently blocked from doing so. If someone wanted to buy electricity from a local renewable source, such as the local school or village hall that had solar panels, they could not. The United Kingdom bought its electricity from utility companies that sourced it from anything connected to the National Grid, be it solar in Wiltshire or gas fired from a power station in Yorkshire. This meant a community with local renewables could not sell the energy it generated directly to local people but must sell it to a utility company which then sold it on to customers. This was happening because becoming a supplier of energy to customers involved millions in set-up and running costs. Those costs were due to grappling with highly complex grid balancing codes and network agreements controlled by the largest six utility companies. The heart of the problem was disproportionate costs - like someone wanting to set up a business baking bread in their kitchen and delivering to people in their local area, but instead of just paying the road tax for the delivery van they had to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds to use the roads, no matter how little bread they delivered; that situation meant they could never start their business and that was the reality for community-scale renewable energy in the United Kingdom. However, there was a solution which would see the costs and complexity of being able to sell locally generated energy to local people being made proportionate to the size of the local energy co-operative or business operation. The Local Electricity Bill had been drafted to lay out a 15 OS.24.11.20 mechanism to do that. If made law, it would give electricity generators the right to become local suppliers – i.e. sell their energy directly to local people – and make it financially viable to do so. The Bill gave the task of setting up the new mechanism to the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM) which was the energy market regulator. Critically, it required that OFGEM ensured local suppliers faced costs and complexity proportionate to the scale of their business. The Bill also required that OFGEM engaged appropriate experts and stakeholders in the formulation of the new process. Communities would benefit from selling local renewable energy and significant additional value would remain within local economies, meaning more investment in things like local services and more efficient homes. Communities could raise funds to build more renewable energy schemes and they would have a viable business model, meaning they could help ensure the United Kingdom met its climate change targets. Communities would see knock-on local economic benefits and there would be greater acceptance of the transition to 100% renewable energy. Local economies would be more resilient, local skilled jobs would be created and the UK’s energy supply would be more secure. To date, the Bill was supported by 228 MPs, including the MP for Tewkesbury Borough; this was a Cross Party Bill with five of the 12 sponsors being Conservative; 65 County and local authorities had already supported the Bill; and Tewkesbury Town Council and Western Power Distribution (the regional distributor) had voted to express their support. In effect, Members were being asked to agree with and support them and the proposer felt that was not controversial. She indicated that the opening headline of GFirst Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP) Gloucestershire Sustainable Energy Strategy Report from 2019 was that Gloucestershire, like everywhere else in the country, needed to contribute to achieving the United Kingdom’s legally binding carbon emissions reduction target while sustaining reliable energy supplies and ensuring energy costs remained or, for some, became affordable. The proposer reminded Members that fuel poverty affected 25,000 households across Gloucestershire and that Tewkesbury was supposed to be “a place where a good quality of life is open to all”. The LEPs opening paragraph stated that “our energy system needed to change and everywhere needed to play its part including a complete shift to very low or zero carbon electricity generation, mostly renewable and much of it decentralized and that the scale of these changes required was significant. Gloucestershire currently met at least 85% of its energy needs (for heating, power and transport) from fossil fuels and that needed to be close to zero by 2050. However, a key weakness was that the county was short of initiative-takers willing and/or able to take forward the many ideas and plans for action”. In summing up, the proposer felt that Tewkesbury could show real leadership in this regard and therefore she asked Members to support the motion and to vote in favour of supporting the Local Electricity Bill - supporting the Bill did not commit the Council to do anything if the Bill did become law and, despite being called a Bill, it was not actually going to cost the Council a single penny. 47.4 In introducing his report, the Deputy Chief Executive advised that the Council had commissioned a consultant to help with its carbon reduction audit and action plan and he had been able to input to the report. The Deputy Chief Executive explained that should the Council sign up to the motion, and therefore the implications of the Local Electricity Bill, there could be resource implications. Currently the Council had a relatively small budget associated with its carbon reduction and climate change programme and the Executive Committee had previously agreed that the most cost- effective way to utilise that, in light of the absence of any internal expertise, was through the commissioning of a consultant. Should there be a need to divert some of that resource – equating to 2.5 days per week – to exploring and understanding the implications associated with the Local Electricity Bill, it was likely that would have to be at the expense of existing identified workstreams contained within the carbon reduction action plan. In addition, the Bill appeared to strongly advocate the role of local authorities as a supplier of local electricity and the Council did not currently have the infrastructure nor the mechanisms or resources in place to 16 OS.24.11.20 undertake what would be a significant variation in its current business. In terms of legal implications, part of the motion asked the Council to sign up to a campaign which it could do should it so wish; however, if minded to sign up the Council would need to be careful not to inadvertently sign up to something that was, or could be seen to be, a more binding agreement/procurement policy for the authority. There may be positive environmental benefits in terms of the provision of locally produced electricity being provided directly to local communities, and that appeared to be one of the key drivers associated with the Bill however, detail in terms of managing capacity, supply, resilience and the breadth/radius of any local communities who may be able to benefit from local electricity was not clearly defined at this stage. According to its website Power for People was a not-for-profit organisation, campaigning for the United Kingdom to rapidly transition to 100% clean energy and for that to benefit local communities. They ran grass roots mobilisation campaigns, engaging and involving citizens and local communities and calling on them to lobby their elected representatives for changes in the law or in government policy. The website made it clear that the organisations which had signed up supported the Local Electricity Bill in principle and not necessarily its exact current wording and that the wording of the Bill may change as the campaign for it progressed. The Bill, scheduled for a second reading in January 2021, was four clauses long and if it was made law it would be intended to make the setup and running costs of selling electricity to local customers proportionate by establishing a right to local supply. At this stage no further detail was provided in terms of the implications of introducing a right to local supply or how the process would operate. In considering the implications of a right to local supply, the Committee would be advised to consider those at a local level. Local considerations could include the benefits and disbenefits of the Council becoming a local energy supplier; supply resilience and supporting and managing the customer base. The Council was often seen as the ‘fourth emergency service’ by businesses and communities and, as such, the implications of managing and responding to power outages to communities served by local suppliers, due for example to adverse weather events, changes in regulation or incomplete due diligence on behalf of the local supplier etc., should be considered. The Council was doing a lot of good work with its own assets and the Roses Theatre and grant applications were being submitted to secure significant amounts of funding to offset the capital costs of replacing the in-house boiler system. The Committee would need to consider the fact that the process of how the electricity sector worked, and how costs would be created and imposed on consumers through the system, was complex and local authorities may not be best placed in terms of having the expertise and knowledge needed in order to objectively assess the proposals suggested as part of the Power for People Bill. There may be multiple ways of promoting greater community-owned, distribution network-embedded renewable generation rather than solely the proposal, as set out in the Bill, of small generators becoming ‘suppliers’ in their own right. The Committee would need to consider whether there was sufficient information within the Bill at this or future points in time, and a sufficient knowledge base within the Council to objectively consider the merits or otherwise of the specific approaches proposed in the Bill. 47.5 In response, the proposer of the motion expressed disappointment not to have seen the report of the Deputy Chief Executive prior to publication as she could have answered some of the queries about the Local Electricity Bill. Referring to the resource implications set out, she confirmed that the Bill did not advocate for any local authority to do anything and she felt that to suggest so was misleading. She further explained that supporting the Bill did not commit the Council to do anything if it did become law. The Bill placed a requirement on OFGEM to establish a right to local supply and, as part of that, to ensure that costs faced by local energy generators wishing to sell directly to local customers faced proportionate costs which they did not at the moment due to energy market regulations. In reference to the fact that the wording in the Bill could change, she advised that this was not 17 OS.24.11.20 dissimilar to the Climate Change Act which, in its first draft, was five pages but three years later when it became law it was 125 pages long however the core principle had remained the same. In terms of the report citing Bristol and Nottingham Cities ventures as failures, she was of the view that what happened to Robin Hood Energy highlighted the problem that the Bill aimed to fix. It had struggled and ultimately failed because of fundamental flaws in the energy market rules. Specifically, the set up and running costs involved in becoming a licensed supplier of electricity were extremely high and crucially not proportionate to the size of the supply business. If the costs were made proportionate, which was what the Local Electricity Bill would do, then Robin Hood Energy and similar others would have been empowered to create sustainable and viable local energy supply businesses. In addition, the current market rules were designed when the United Kingdom had a small number of large power stations generating electricity and sending it out across the grid to customers, since then, the energy system had dramatically changed but the rules had not. The rules were antiquated and not fit for purpose which was causing problems like the failure of Robin Hood Energy and others and this had been confirmed by the Energy Minister who had indicated that a lot of the structures that the country had today reflected the conditions that had operated 30 or 40 years ago. 47.6 A Member noted that the report discussed the resilience of local suppliers and the fact that the UK’s network was set up by the national grid. He felt it was important to note that, should the generator fail, the national grid would have to supply energy so the local authorities would not be left liable. In response, another Member disagreed with that view and felt that local electricity being kept in the local area was about sectioning off the supply. He also felt that some of the criteria for the Bill were quite controversial and could result in a situation where there were dozens of little Javelin Parks. In response to a query as to whether the Bill advocated the role of local authorities as a supplier of electricity, the Deputy Chief Executive advised that there was a strong advocation on the Power for People website, and in the Bill, that local authorities had an important part to play in the process and the website made the inference that this was what they wanted to happen wherever possible. The Council’s consultant confirmed that there was a recognition that Councils had a central role to play. His view was that, in principle, the Bill was a good idea but at the moment it felt like the details were too vague and there was insufficient detail to enable the Council to make a fully informed decision. The inference was that it would not cost the Council anything but he was unsure whether there would be an expectation to move forward and how that would impact on the Council’s existing carbon neutrality commitment. 47.7 A Member advised that there was a need to consider the facts carefully along with the possible financial implications. He understood the local MP and the Town Council were supportive of the Bill in principle but there were concerns about the need for further details. Javelin Park was an energy from waste plant so was making electricity and reducing carbon emissions already meaning the county was already doing something towards sustainable energy. He also noted that, if the Bill was made law, then all of the details would be available and the Council would have no choice but to meet its requirements. In response to a query as to how the costs of local energy compared to current providers, the proposer of the motion indicated that the motion was about the principle of the Bill not about the facts and the question of costs etc. would be down to the details which OFGEM would be specifying. To date no local authorities had signed up to anything in terms of funding. In addition, another Member indicated that there were a lot of rural communities in the Borough, many of which used gas or oil as energy and he felt bringing in local suppliers to help local communities would help to heat those homes and would be appreciated by residents. The proposer of the motion felt that, if the Bill was passed, it would enable local provision which would help the local economy by providing more local skilled jobs, more viable local businesses, creation of greater public support for renewables and provision of more secure energy with less 18 OS.24.11.20 reliance on imports. She was of the view that this was not just about the Council but about the opportunities for its communities. In response, the Council’s consultant indicated that there were potentially opportunities for local residents to benefit on the basis of joining up to the scheme but there was concern about what that might mean for those not in the scheme e.g. whether standing charges would be higher for those that remained on the normal supply. This was a very complicated issue; there was a need to achieve 40% demand reduction to support renewable energy and the cheapest way of doing that at the moment was by energy efficiency. In terms of the implications of the Bill, a Member expressed the view that it appeared to increase the opportunity for competition, gave residents other options and enabled local electricity, all of which were good things. He also felt that the more producers of electricity the better as it would lead to less outages etc. In essence, he felt supporting the Bill could only be a good thing for residents. 47.8 The Deputy Chief Executive agreed that the principle made a lot of sense and he felt everyone could agree on that. However, the report was looking at the detail and the Committee needed to determine whether there was enough detail and information at this point in time for the Committee to recommend that the Council signed up to the Bill. A Member recognised that the Council had been making progress with its efforts towards climate change, and that there were some questions about the detail, but the reality was that supporting the principle of the Bill would show the Council understood the direction of travel that the Country would inevitably be going, at some point. 47.9 In offering an alternative view, a Member felt it was important to look at the detail of the Motion – he would not be happy to sign up to the Power for People campaign as he did not feel that would necessarily be a good thing for the Council in time to come; he was happy to acknowledge the Council had done well and the crucial role it played but, in terms of support for the Bill, he felt it did not mention renewables which was a concern and there were some seriously high risks given that it did not cover infrastructure, costs on what individuals would produce and there was no security with a back-up supply. For those reasons, he proposed that, while the Committee was appreciative that the motion recognised this Council’s climate change work and it also recognised the important role locally produced electricity can provide if properly integrated, it found the motion, at this current time, lacking in information on how it could work and it raised serious concerns over the infrastructure to deliver it, security of power supply delivery, cost and the potential financial and reputational damage implications for this Council. Consequently, this Committee recommends that the motion be rejected. 47.10 In concluding the debate on this matter, the proposer of the Council motion referred to the situation in Germany, whereby the big four companies controlled only about 40% of the market with the remainder through 1,000 mostly community led and mainly renewable, suppliers. In contrast, in the United Kingdom, the big six companies controlled around 80% of the market with only 50 other supply companies. Currently the United Kingdom’s centralised system was dominated with fossil fuels and national/multi-national companies. She was extremely concerned about fuel poverty across Gloucestershire and she felt the Bill offered opportunities for cheaper energy for those that really needed it. Local energy generators were about enabling local provision which surely must be a good thing. In terms of the Bill, she advised that it had been drafted by Power for People and they were coordinating the national campaign but the three Directors of the organisation had written the original version of the Climate Change Act and ran the successful campaign for it as well as several other environmental laws including the Warm Homes Act and the Municipal Waste Recycling Act so they would not write a Bill that was likely to lead to non-renewable generators being promoted. In addition, the Bill could be amended to ensure any potential loopholes were closed that could lead to anything but renewable energy generation being promoted.

19 OS.24.11.20 47.11 The motion proposed earlier, as set out in Paragraph 47.9, was seconded and upon being put to the vote, it was RESOLVED That, while the Committee was appreciative that the motion recognised this Council’s climate change work and it also recognised the important role locally produced electricity can provide if properly integrated, it found the motion, at this current time, lacking in information on how it could work and it raised serious concerns over the infrastructure to deliver it, security of power supply delivery, cost and the potential financial and reputational damage implications for this Council. Consequently this Committee recommends that the motion be rejected.

OS.48 SEPARATE BUSINESS

48.1 The Chair proposed, and it was RESOLVED That, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely discussion of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

OS.49 SEPARATE MINUTES

49.1 The separate Minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2020, copies of which had been circulated, were approved as a correct record.

The meeting closed at 8:25 pm

20 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE FORWARD PLAN 2020/21 REGULAR ITEM:  Forward Plan – To note the forthcoming items.

Additions to 6 January 2021  Local Electricity Bill Motion.  Tewkesbury Garden Town Programme Governance Arrangements.  Community Funding Scheme / S106 Panel.  Local Development Scheme Update.  Confidential Item: Ubico Contract Review. Deletions from 6 January 2021 

Committee Date: 3 February 2021

Agenda Item Overview of Agenda Item Lead Officer Has agenda item previously been deferred? Details and date of deferment required

21 Budget 2021/22 (Annual). To recommend a budget for 2021/22 to Head of Finance and Asset No. the Council. Management.

Financial Update - Quarter To consider the quarterly budget position. Head of Finance and Asset No. Three 2020/21. Management.

Council Tax Discount for To consider and make a Revenues and Benefits No. Care Leavers. recommendation to Council. Manager.

Treasury and Capital To approve and recommend approval Head of Finance and Asset Yes – from January 2021 meeting. Agenda Item 5 Management (Annual) to Council, a range of statutorily Management. required polices and strategies relating to treasury and capital management.

Housing Strategy Refresh To approve the Housing Strategy Housing Services Manager. Yes – originally scheduled for 6 Refresh. January meeting.

1 Changes from previously published Plan shown in bold

Committee Date: 3 February 2021

Agenda Item Overview of Agenda Item Lead Officer Has agenda item previously been deferred? Details and date of deferment required

Council Plan Performance To receive and respond to the findings Head of Corporate Services. Yes – moved from 6 January to Tracker and COVID-19 of the Overview and Scrutiny accommodate consideration by Recovery Tracker – Committee‘s review of the quarter one the Overview and Scrutiny Quarter One 2020/21. performance management and Committee. recovery information. (Previously Performance Management Report)

22 Confidential Item: To consider the write-off of irrecoverable Head of Corporate Services. No. Irrecoverable Debts Write- debts. Off Report (Quarterly).

(To be considered in private because of the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 – Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)).

2 Changes from previously published Plan shown in bold

Committee Date: 3 March 2021

Agenda Item Overview of Agenda Item Lead Officer Has agenda item previously been deferred? Details and date of deferment required

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3 Changes from previously published Plan shown in bold

Committee Date: 31 March 2021

Agenda Item Overview of Agenda Item Lead Officer Has agenda item previously been deferred? Details and date of deferment required

Council Plan Performance To receive and respond to the findings of Head of Corporate Services. No. Tracker and COVID-19 the Overview and Scrutiny Committee‘s Recovery Tracker – review of the quarter three performance Quarter Three 2020/21. management and recovery information. (Previously Performance Management Information)

Council Plan 2020/24 To consider the Council Plan and make a Head of Corporate Services. No. Refresh (Annual). recommendation to Council. 24 High Level Service Plan To consider the key activities of each Head of Corporate Services. No. Summaries (Annual). service grouping during 2019/20.

COVID-19 Corporate To consider the COVID-19 Corporate Deputy Chief Executive. No. Recovery Plan Refresh Recovery Plan.

Trade Waste Service To receive a recommendation from Head of Community Services No. Business Case the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Proceeds of Crime and To approve the Money Laundering Head of Corporate Services. Yes – Moved from November Anti-Money Laundering Policy following a recommendation meeting to enable consideration by Policy. from the Audit and Governance the Audit and Governance Committee. Committee in March.

4 Changes from previously published Plan shown in bold

PENDING ITEMS

Agenda Item Overview of Agenda Item

Shopfronts Supplementary Planning To agree the document for the purposes of consultation. Document (SPD).

Spring Gardens Regeneration Phase 1a To agree the recommendation of the preferred option for the regeneration of Spring Gardens. report.

Parking Strategy Review. To consider the recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Parking Strategy Review. To consider the statutory responses to the Parking Strategy Review.

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5 Changes from previously published Plan shown in bold

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE WORK PROGRAMME 2020/21

REGULAR ITEMS:  Executive Committee Forward Plan  Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2020/21

Committee Date: 9 February 2021

Agenda Item Overview of Agenda Item Lead Officer Has agenda item previously been deferred? Details and date of deferment required

Annual Report on Economic To receive an annual report on economic Economic and Community No – previously in pending items. Growth growth to include performance of the Development Manager. Growth Hub and businesses within the borough (as agreed at O&S on 11 February 2020). 26 Review of Complaints Policy To consider a review of the Complaints Corporate Services Manager. No – previously in pending items. Policy.

Gloucestershire Health and To conduct the annual review of the Head of Corporate Services. No. Care Overview and Scrutiny effectiveness of the Council’s Committee 2021/22 involvement in the Gloucestershire Financial Contribution Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee in order to authorise payment of the Council’s contribution to the running Agenda Item 6 costs for the forthcoming year.

Gloucestershire Health To receive an update from the N/A No. Overview and Scrutiny Council’s representative on matters Committee Update considered at the last meeting (12 January 2021).

Gloucestershire Economic To receive an update from the N/A No. Growth Scrutiny Council’s representative on matters Committee Date: 9 February 2021

Agenda Item Overview of Agenda Item Lead Officer Has agenda item previously been deferred? Details and date of deferment required

Annual Report on Economic To receive an annual report on economic Economic and Community No – previously in pending items. Growth growth to include performance of the Development Manager. Growth Hub and businesses within the borough (as agreed at O&S on 11 February 2020).

Review of Complaints Policy To consider a review of the Complaints Corporate Services Manager. No – previously in pending items. Policy.

Gloucestershire Health and To conduct the annual review of the Head of Corporate Services. No. Care Overview and Scrutiny effectiveness of the Council’s Committee 2021/22 involvement in the Gloucestershire

27 Financial Contribution Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee in order to authorise payment of the Council’s contribution to the running costs for the forthcoming year. Committee Update considered at the last meeting (20 January 2021).

Planning Committee To review and scrutinise Planning Head of Development Services. Yes, from January 2021. Overturns Committee overturns 2019/20.

Committee Date: 9 March 2021

Agenda Item Overview of Agenda Item Lead Officer Has agenda item previously been deferred? Details and date of deferment required

Council Plan Performance To review and scrutinise the performance Head of Corporate Services No. Tracker and COVID-19 management and recovery information Recovery Tracker – and, where appropriate, to require Quarter 3 2020/21 response or action from the Executive Committee. (previously ‘Performance Information’)

Community Services To consider the progress made Head of Community Services Yes – moved from 14 July 2020. Improvement Plan against the Community Services Little activity has taken place over Improvement Plan. recent months due to COVID-19.

Trade Waste Service To consider the options and make a Head of Community Services No. 28 Business Case recommendation to Executive Committee.

Private Rented Housing To receive a report on progress of the Head of Community Services Yes – moved from 1 September Sector Scheme Private Rented Housing Sector 2020. The pilot was due to end in Scheme (as agreed at the O&S October but the countywide meeting on 10 March 2020). partnership is considering extending this – much of the work has paused due to COVID-19.

Gloucestershire Police and To receive an update from the N/A No. Crime Panel Update Council’s representative on matters considered at the last meeting (9 February 2021).

Gloucestershire Health To receive an update from the N/A No. Overview and Scrutiny Council’s representative on matters Committee Date: 9 March 2021

Agenda Item Overview of Agenda Item Lead Officer Has agenda item previously been deferred? Details and date of deferment required

Council Plan Performance To review and scrutinise the performance Head of Corporate Services No. Tracker and COVID-19 management and recovery information Recovery Tracker – and, where appropriate, to require Quarter 3 2020/21 response or action from the Executive Committee. (previously ‘Performance Information’)

Community Services To consider the progress made Head of Community Services Yes – moved from 14 July 2020. Improvement Plan against the Community Services Little activity has taken place over Improvement Plan. recent months due to COVID-19.

Trade Waste Service To consider the options and make a Head of Community Services No. 29 Business Case recommendation to Executive Committee. Committee Update considered at the last meeting (2 March 2021).

Committee Date: 6 April 2021

Agenda Item Overview of Agenda Item Lead Officer Has agenda item previously been deferred? Details and date of deferment required

Depot Services Working To receive the biannual update on the Head of Community Services No – however, this will be the first Group Update progress of the Depot Services Working update to the Committee as a prior Group. update has been removed from the meeting on 13 October. The Working Group has not met for a number of months so no progress has been made.

Housing Strategy Review To consider the progress made in Head of Community Services Agreed at Overview and Scrutiny Monitoring Report respect of the outcomes identified in the Committee on 13 October to roll Housing Strategy Action Plan. To Strategy over for another year approve the revised Housing Strategy until March 2022. 30 prior to consideration by Executive Committee/Council.

Customer Care Strategy To consider the progress made in Corporate Services Manager No. – Update now scheduled for 12 relation to the actions contained within January 2021 so this item will not the Customer Care Strategy 2020/21 and be needed until April 2022. to endorse the action plan for 2021/22.

Overview and Scrutiny To approve the annual report as required Head of Corporate Services. No. Committee Annual Report by the Council’s Constitution to ensure 2020/21 that the activities of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee are promoted, both internally and publicly, to reinforce transparency and accountability in the democratic process.

Committee Date: 6 April 2021

Agenda Item Overview of Agenda Item Lead Officer Has agenda item previously been deferred? Details and date of deferment required

Depot Services Working To receive the biannual update on the Head of Community Services No – however, this will be the first Group Update progress of the Depot Services Working update to the Committee as a prior Group. update has been removed from the meeting on 13 October. The Working Group has not met for a number of months so no progress has been made.

Housing Strategy Review To consider the progress made in Head of Community Services Agreed at Overview and Scrutiny Monitoring Report respect of the outcomes identified in the Committee on 13 October to roll Housing Strategy Action Plan. To Strategy over for another year approve the revised Housing Strategy until March 2022. 31 prior to consideration by Executive Committee/Council.

Customer Care Strategy To consider the progress made in Corporate Services Manager No. – Update now scheduled for 12 relation to the actions contained within January 2021 so this item will not the Customer Care Strategy 2020/21 and be needed until April 2022. to endorse the action plan for 2021/22.

Overview and Scrutiny To approve the annual report as required Head of Corporate Services. No. Committee Annual Report by the Council’s Constitution to ensure 2020/21 that the activities of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee are promoted, both internally and publicly, to reinforce transparency and accountability in the democratic process.

Gloucestershire Police and To receive an update from the N/A No. Crime Panel Update Council’s representative on matters considered at the last meeting (23 March 2021). Committee Date: 6 April 2021

Agenda Item Overview of Agenda Item Lead Officer Has agenda item previously been deferred? Details and date of deferment required

Depot Services Working To receive the biannual update on the Head of Community Services No – however, this will be the first Group Update progress of the Depot Services Working update to the Committee as a prior Group. update has been removed from the meeting on 13 October. The Working Group has not met for a number of months so no progress has been made.

Housing Strategy Review To consider the progress made in Head of Community Services Agreed at Overview and Scrutiny Monitoring Report respect of the outcomes identified in the Committee on 13 October to roll Housing Strategy Action Plan. To Strategy over for another year approve the revised Housing Strategy until March 2022. 32 prior to consideration by Executive Committee/Council.

Customer Care Strategy To consider the progress made in Corporate Services Manager No. – Update now scheduled for 12 relation to the actions contained within January 2021 so this item will not the Customer Care Strategy 2020/21 and be needed until April 2022. to endorse the action plan for 2021/22.

Overview and Scrutiny To approve the annual report as required Head of Corporate Services. No. Committee Annual Report by the Council’s Constitution to ensure 2020/21 that the activities of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee are promoted, both internally and publicly, to reinforce transparency and accountability in the democratic process.

Gloucestershire Economic To receive an update from the N/A No. Growth Scrutiny Council’s representative on matters Committee Update considered at the last meeting (10 March 2020).

PENDING ITEMS

Agenda Item Overview of Agenda Item

Council Tax Reduction Scheme Review To approve Terms of Reference and establish membership of the Working Group. To endorse Working Group report and recommend it to the Executive Committee/Council for adoption Review previously scheduled to commence in April 2020, postponed as not appropriate in current climate.

Presentation from Severn Trent Water Date to be agreed once work has finished (August 2020?) - To receive a presentation from Severn Trent Water on the works carried out to the Severn Ham as a result of the Scrutiny Review of Water Supply Outage – as agreed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 10 September 2019.

Update on Local Policing Arrangements To receive an update from the Police on local arrangements.

33 Parking Strategy Review To review consultation responses and make a recommendation to the Executive Committee.

ITEMS FOR INCLUSION IN 2021/22 WORK PROGRAMME

June 2021 – Corporate Policies and To consider the corporate polices and strategies and identify which will be reviewed by the Committee Strategies during 2020/21. Annual item but removed from 2020/21 work programme as unlikely to have capacity for additional reviews this year.

June 2021 - LGA Peer Challenge Report To monitor implementation of the action plan. Action Plan

July 2021 – Climate Change Strategy To receive the annual report on the work of the Climate Change and Flood Risk Management Group. Annual Report Annual report required 12 months after carbon audit and indicative action plan considered by Council.

September 2021 – Development To receive an update on the outcomes of the customer satisfaction survey on experience of planning Services Improvement Plan application process and the pre-application planning advice service and, if relevant, an explanation on any outstanding actions 34 Due to be taken to 16 June 2020 but delayed to allow time for the Technical Planning Manager to work with the team, including the new Head of Development Services, on survey results following decision for Business Transformation Manager to move to Gloucester City Council full-time.

March 2022 – Housing Strategy Review To approve the revised Housing Strategy prior to consideration by Executive Committee/Council. Due to be considered at the meeting in April 2021 but at the Committee on 13 October 2020, it was agreed to roll the Strategy over for a further year until March 2022.

Lessons learned review following the To receive a document setting out lessons learned. COVID-19 pandemic.

Agenda Item 7 TEWKESBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL

Report to: Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Date of Meeting: 12 January 2021

Subject: Council Plan Performance Tracker and COVID-19 Recovery Plan Tracker 2020/21 (Qtr2)

Report of: Head of Corporate Services

Corporate Lead: Chief Executive

Lead Members: Lead Member Commercial Transformation

Number of Appendices: Five

Executive Summary: A new Council Plan (2020-24) was approved by Council on 28 January 2020. The approved plan included four existing priorities i.e. finance and resources, economic growth, housing and communities and customer first plus the approval of two new priorities i.e. garden communities and sustainable environment. Supporting the priorities is a set of objectives and actions. Progress in delivering the objectives and actions are reported through a Council Plan Performance Tracker (Appendix 1). The tracker is a combined document which also includes a set of key performance indicators. Since the approval of the new Council Plan, the Council’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that resources have been prioritised and deployed to support staff, residents, businesses and communities whilst maintaining core service delivery. Whilst COVID-19 continues to present the Council with significant challenges, a corporate COVID-19 recovery plan has been established to address those challenges. The plan has been designed around the six priorities of the Council Plan as the strategic priorities of the Council remain the same despite COVID-19. Similar to the Council Plan, the recovery plan has a number of objectives and actions. The recovery plan was approved by Executive Committee on 5 August 2020. A recovery plan tracker has been created to monitor progress in delivering those objectives and actions (Appendix 2). Given the synergies of the two tracker documents, they are reported together. For example, given that resources have been deployed in response to the pandemic, this will inevitably mean that some of the actions within the council plan will not have progressed as intended. It could also mean that those actions remain undeliverable as prioritisation is given to actions within the recovery plan. Key financial information is also reported so Members have a rounded view of overall performance information. Attached is the revenue budget summary statement (Appendix 3), capital monitoring statement (Appendix 4) and the reserves position summary (Appendix 5). This performance information is reported to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on a quarterly basis and the outcome is then reported to the Executive Committee by the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Recommendation: To scrutinise the performance management information, and where appropriate require action or response from the Executive Committee.

35 Reasons for Recommendation: The Overview and Scrutiny Committee Terms of Reference require it to review and scrutinise the decisions and performance of the Council and its Committees.

Resource Implications: None directly associated with this report other than to note that a number of actions have been impacted by the Council’s response to COVID-19.

Legal Implications: None directly associated with this report.

Risk Management Implications: If delivery of the council’s priorities is not effectively monitored, then the Council cannot identify where it is performing strongly or where improvement in performance is necessary. The impact of COVID-19 has been commented upon in relation to a number of council plan actions. A separate corporate recovery plan has been developed to assist in risk identification and risk management in relation to COVID-19 and the Council’s responsibilities in relation to recovery.

Performance Management Follow-up: Performance management information is reported to Overview and Scrutiny Committee on a quarterly basis. The outcome of each quarterly review is then reported to Executive Committee.

Environmental Implications: None directly associated with this report.

1.0 INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND

1.1 A new Council Plan (2020-24) was approved by Council on 28 January 2020. The approved plan included four existing priorities i.e. finance and resources, economic growth, housing and communities and customer first plus the approval of two new priorities i.e. garden communities and sustainable environment. Supporting the priorities is a set of objectives and actions. Progress in delivering the objectives and actions are reported through a Council Plan Performance Tracker (Appendix 1). The tracker is a combined document which also includes a set of key performance indicators.

1.2 Since the approval of the new Council Plan, the Council’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that resources have been prioritised and deployed to support staff, residents, businesses and communities whilst maintaining core service delivery. Whilst COVID-19 continues to present the Council with significant challenges, a corporate COVID- 19 recovery plan has been established to address those challenges. The plan has been designed around the six priorities of the council plan as despite COVID-19 the strategic priorities of the Council remain the same. Similar to the council plan, the recovery plan has a number of objectives and actions. The recovery plan was approved by Executive Committee on 5 August 2020. A recovery plan tracker has been created to monitor progress in delivering those objectives and actions (Appendix 2).

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1.3 Given the synergies of the two tracker documents, they are reported together. For example, given that resources have been deployed in response to the pandemic, this will inevitably mean that some of the actions within the council plan will not have progressed as intended. It could also mean that those actions remain undeliverable as prioritisation is given to actions within the recovery plan.

1.4 Key financial information is also reported so Members have a rounded view of overall performance information. Attached is the revenue budget summary statement (Appendix 3), capital monitoring statement (Appendix 4) and the reserves position summary (Appendix 5).

2.0 COUNCIL PLAN PERFORMANCE TRACKER

2.1 The Council Plan (2020-24) has six priorities which contribute to the overall Council Plan vision “Tewkesbury Borough, a place where a good quality of life is open to all”. The priorities are:  Finance and resources.  Economic growth.  Housing and communities.  Customer first.  Garden communities.  Sustainable environment. Each of the six priorities is supported by a number of objectives and actions which will focus activity on delivery of the priorities. The tracker has been developed and contains a set of key performance measures to monitor delivery of each Council Plan action. The actions are reviewed and where appropriate refreshed on an annual basis.

2.2 For monitoring the progress of the Council Plan actions, the following symbols are used:

 – action progressing well.

 – the action has some issues or delay by there is no significant slippage in the delivery of the action.

 – significant risk to not achieving the action or there has been significant slippage in the timetable or performance is below target. Grey – project has not yet commenced. – action complete or annual target achieved. For monitoring of key performance indicators, the following symbols are used:

↑ - PI is showing improved performance on previous year.

↔ - PI is on par with previous year performance.

↓- PI is showing performance is not as good as previous year.

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2.3 This report presents the second quarter’s update of the new Council Plan (2020-2024). Key successful activities specific to the council plan, to bring to Members’ attention since the last

performance report include:

 Drafting for a new medium-term financial strategy is underway and will be produced to meet relevant timescales despite the challenges around the clarity of government funding and impact of COVID-19 on the Council’s finances. (page 2 of the tracker).  Purchase of a Volvo garage will bring the commercial property portfolio to £60million. (page 2 of the tracker).

 The business case for improving the trade waste service is underway and assurance given this will meet the new timescale. (page 3 of the tracker).  Positive outcomes being delivered across all streams of the Economic Development and Tourism Strategy. (page 4 of the tracker).  Tewkesbury Together 2021 group has now been re-established and are finalising proposals for the celebrations. (page 10 of the tracker).  Councils five-year housing land supply statement and 2019/20 annual Housing Monitoring report has been published on the Council’s website. (page 15 of the tracker).  Ongoing success of the garden waste club with the budget of £945k achieved. (page 23 of the tracker).  The new Business Transformation team is up and running and making great strides around the implementation of the new digital platform, corporate website review and end to end review of the council’s bulky waste service. (page 24-26 of the tracker).  The governance arrangements for the garden communities are being developed. (page 32 of the tracker).  The natural capital asset mapping project is near complete with maps now available to view online. (page 37 of the tracker). Reported to Members through various channels, both formally and informally since the onset of the pandemic, has been the Council’s response and recovery to this significant challenge whilst still maintaining core service delivery. This is evident through the various commentaries within the tracker and why some actions have not progressed as well as intended or have been deferred. This is illustrated within the tables below.

2.4 Even in ‘normal’ times, due to the complex nature of the actions being delivered, inevitably some may not progress as smoothly or quickly as envisaged. This has obviously been

amplified by the response to COVID-19. Actions with either a or are highlighted   below:

Action Status and reason for status Finalise and adopt the Tewkesbury The target date for the TBP has been Borough Plan.  amended from Spring 2021 to Autumn (Page No. 6, 12 and 14 of the Council 2021. This is a direct result of COVID-19 Plan performance tracker). and the impact on the examination timetable. It is anticipated that the examination into the plan will be held in February/ March 2021, with adoption expected later in the year. The target date has been amended four times previously.

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Develop a work programme with The target date has been amended landlords to ensure residents have a  from January 2021 to March 2021. An supply of rented properties to meet their needs. evaluation of this pilot is in progress and it is intended a report can be brought to (Page No. 13 of the Council Plan O&S committee in March 2021. The performance tracker). target date has been amended five times previously. Carry out housing needs assessments  Gloucestershire Rural Community to deliver affordable housing in rural areas. Council (GRCC) undertakes the Housing needs survey on the Council’s behalf. (Page No. 13 of the Council Plan Production of the reports following recent performance tracker). survey work has been delayed due to long term illness at GRCC. Target date has been amended once previously. 

2.3 Some actions of the council plan have been put on hold as staff resource has been deployed to the response and recovery from COVID-19. The greyed actions within the

Council Plan affected as a result are as follows:

Project has been deferred-until the next Introducing and complying with CIPFA’s new Financial Management Code financial year or until resources becomes available. The majority of the code is within (Page No. 1 of the Council Plan the council’s working practices so broadly performance tracker). compliant in any case.

Update the Council’s asset management Project has been deferred until the next plan. financial year. The current AMP will be rolled over into the new year. (Page No. 2 of the Council Plan performance tracker).

Approve a new planned maintenance Project has been deferred until the next programme. financial year. (Page No. 2 of the Council Plan performance tracker).

In-source the management of our homeless Project has been deferred until the next property portfolio. financial year. The current external contract has been extended to March 2021. (Page 3 of the Council Plan performance tracker).

Work with the Local Enterprise Partnership LEP are awaiting guidance from Business, (LEP) and other partners to deliver the Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on Local Industrial Strategy (LIS). the next steps and timescales. Until this has been received no further updates can (Page No. 5 of the Council Plan been provided. performance tracker).

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Bring forward plans for the redevelopment Project has been deferred until resources of Spring Gardens. become available. Whilst a draft phase 1a report has been completed by the (Page No. 9 of the Council Plan consultants and presented to the member performance tacker). working group, there is no dedicated internal resources to take this project forward.

Continue to improve the proactive Project has been deferred. homelessness prevention programme.

(Page No. 23 of the Council Plan performance tacker).

Work with Gloucestershire County Council Project has been deferred for six months. and other partners to help local residents and businesses take action to reduce their own carbon footprint, and to make better use of resources. (Page No. 34 of the Council Plan performance tacker).

Improve bio-diversity across the borough Project has been deferred for six months - and educate communities on its benefits. initial projects had commenced. (Page No. 35 of the Council Plan performance tacker).

3.0 COUNCIL PLAN KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)

3.1 The set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are a combination of contextual indicators and target related indicators. The set of KPIs must remain flexible to ensure they meet our needs. The data reported is the position at end of September 2020. For 2020/21, four new KPI’s (KPI 15- KPI 18) have been added. These were requested by Overview and Scrutiny Committee and relate to planning enforcement responsiveness. Crime related indicators have been removed, again this was at the request of the Committee.

3.2 Of the 21 indicators with targets, their status as at the end of quarter two for 2020/21 is:

  (below target but Data not available  (below target and confident annual (on target) target unlikely to be target will be achieved) achieved)

9 0 9 3

In terms of the direction of travel i.e. performance compared to last year, for all indicators the status is:

 (better  (not as good ↔ (on par with Data not available performance than last as last year) previous year year) performance)

8 10 0 3

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3.3 KPI’s where the direction of travel is down and/ or KPI is either a  or  are highlighted below:

KPI KPI description Reason for or  No. 

Percentage of ‘major’ ↓  Eight major decisions were issued applications determined within of which five were issued within the target 13 weeks or alternative period 12 timescale. This Q2 figure (62.5%) is agreed with the applicant. slightly above the national target of 60% (Page No. 20 of the Council but below the target of 85% and the 81% Plan performance tracker) outturn for 2019/20.

Percentage of ‘minor’  in Q2, 28 of the 43 decisions (65.12%) applications determined within 8 issued made were within the agreed weeks or alternative period timescales. Q2 has seen a decline in 13 agreed with the applicant. agreements for extension of time requests (Page No. 20 of the Council resulting in performance not meeting the Plan performance tracker) target for 2020/21 of 80%. Performance though is stronger than 2019/20.

Percentage of ‘other’ ↓ 99 of 119 decisions were made applications determined within 8 within agreed timescales. This equates to weeks or alternative period 14 performance of 83.19% in Q2, just below agreed with the applicant. the local target of 90% and last years’ (Page No. 21 of the Council outturn of 87%. It is considerably above Plan performance tracker) the national target of 70%.

↓ 30 category C cases were received, Investigate category C cases 12 of these were handled within the target within 10 working days (risk of timeframe. The team have been dealing material harm to the with complex cases with has impacted on officer time on handling category C and D 17 environment or undue harm to residential amenity). cases. A senior enforcement post has also been advertised but without success. This (Page No. 22 of the Council had an impact on meeting the target of Plan performance tracker) 80% and also seen a lower performance compared to the outturn last year of 66.10%

Investigate category D cases within 15 working days ↓ During Q2 22 category C cases (breaches causing limited were received, 50% of these were handled material disturbance to local within the target timeframe. This is lower residents or to the environment). than this years’ target of 70% and also last 18 years’ outturn of 76.92% (Page No. 22 of the Council Plan performance tracker)

41 Whilst performance for quarter Q2, 7 Average number of days to ↓ process new benefit claims. days, is well below the councils target of 24 14 days it is slightly above lasts years’ (Page No. 29 of the Council outturn of 6 days. It is still considerably Plan performance tracker) lower than the national average of 17 days.

Average number of days to Whilst performance for Q2, 3 days, is process change in ↓ circumstances. on par with the target for 2020/21 and the 25 national average of 3 days. It is slightly (Page No. 29 of the Council lower than the outturn for last year of 2 Plan performance tracker) days.

↓ During Q2 the council tax collection Percentage of council tax performance has been significantly collected. affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, the 26 council remain unable to take formal (Page No. 29 of the Council action for unpaid council tax as the Plan performance tracker) magistrates’ court has not reopened for liability order hearings. Resulting in 57.5% collected.

Food establishment hygiene A significant increase in new food ratings. ↓ 29 premises registering, whilst the Q2 figure (Page No. 31 of the Council is below the target of 5% it is above last Plan performance tracker). years’ outturn of 3.6%.

↓  508 enviro crimes were reported in Number of reported enviro Q2 bringing the total this year so far to 92. crimes. The target of 1000 will not be met and it is 32 likely to be above last year’s outturn of (Page No. 37 of the Council 1,271. There has been an increase in all Plan performance tracker). areas of enviro-crimes but particularly fly tips, noise complaints and bonfires during Q2.

Percentage of waste recycled or  Performance for Q2 was 51.54%. composted. This is below the local target of 52%. This 33 has been due to an increase in all waste (Page No. 38 of the Council streams during the pandemic. There has Plan performance tracker). been an increase of recyclable material in the residual waste and fly tipping.

↓  The residual household waste Residual household waste collected during Q2 is 114kg, cumulative collected per property in Kgs. figure for the year to date is 263kg as a 34 (Page No. 39 of performance result of the pandemic. If levels maintain at tracker) this, the target of 430kg will not be met and will be more than last year’s outturn of 414kg.

42 3.4 New KPI’s or areas where key indicators are performing particularly well, include:  KPI 24: It is taking an average of 7 days to process new benefit claims, this remains below the national average of 17 days.  KPI 28: There has been a dramatic reduction to the average number of sick days per full time equivalent when compared against last year. Cumulative figure to date this year is 4.3 days compared to 6.4 days in Q2 last year.  KPI 30: 92% of Freedom of information requests received during Q2 were answered within the 20-working day timescale, this is above the 80% target.  KPI 31: 42 formal complaints were received of which only three was answered outside of the timescale resulting in 93% answered in time; this is an improvement compared to the outturn of 2019/20 of 86%.

4.0 COVID-19 CORPORATE RECOVERY TRACKER

4.1 For monitoring the progress of the corporate recovery plan actions and for consistency, the same symbols as the council plan tracker are used:

 – action progressing well.

 – the action has some issues or delay by there is no significant slippage in the delivery of the action.

 – significant risk to not achieving the action or there has been significant slippage in the timetable or performance is below target. Grey – project has not yet commenced.

4.2 Key activities to bring to members’ attention include:  High street safety measures have been implemented. (page 1 and 6 of recovery tracker).  Tewkesbury Leisure Centre reopened on 2 November 2020 following the second lockdown. Weekly meetings continue to take place with Places Leisure and grant funding from the government will be applied for. (page 2 of recovery tracker).  A revised budget for 2020/21 is no longer required. (page 3 of recovery tracker).  The Growth Hub delivering COVID-specific support to business through a variety of delivery mechanisms. (page 7-9 of recovery tracker).  Active support to the countywide response and recovery to homelessness. (page11).  The development of a new customer care strategy that will be presented to Overview and Scrutiny Committee in January 2021. (page 16).  The development of a new communications strategy that will be presented to Overview and Scrutiny Committee in January 2021. (page 18).  Increased awareness around recycling contamination. (page 23).  Procurement is on course to have a new Mixed Recycling Facility (MRF) contract in place by the end of the financial year. (page 24).

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4.3 As explained when the recovery tracker was first presented in October a number areas of the Council is still in response mode, for example in relation to business grants. This means there are services operating across one of response, recovery and business as usual mode or in some cases operating across a combination of the three, for example, communications. This will inevitably mean that actions within the recovery tracker may not progress as originally intended. Such actions are detailed in the table below:

Action Status of action

Produce a new six-monthly internal audit A new six monthly internal audit plan plan and review the whole suite of internal was approved by Audit and Governance audit recommendations to determine if Committee on 24 September. This was recommendations remain relevant and based on one full time equivalent officer timescales for implementation remain delivering the plan rather than two, as one feasible (page 1 of recovery tracker) officer remains deployed on business grants. Since the plan was approved, other additional business grants have come on- line. The audit function remains deployed within the business cell as well as overseeing GDPR activities.

Maximise the use of business intelligence Yet to commence - Recruitment of a new within the council to ensure the accuracy of Business Intelligence Officer will take place the rating list. (page 4 of recovery tracker) in the New Year. A cross service project plan will need to be developed so business intelligence is shared by relevant services moving forward. Deferred for 6 mths - The place approach Refocus the council’s Place Approach to will be simplified to reflect some of the key reflect the issues within our communities priorities arising through the community arising from Covid-19. (page 11 of recovery from Covid-19. Principles around how we tracker) can work best with our communities will be developed for approval.

Consider future working arrangements within new communities to ensure there are adequate local businesses and self- Yet to commence. – this is more of a employment hubs. (page 15 of recovery medium term action. tracker)

Support the safe re-opening of buildings Deferred - Tourist Information Centres – that provide a council service. (page 17 of remain closed. Re-opening Tewkesbury recovery tracker) TIC is currently being reviewed. Winchcombe TIC is reliant on Winchcombe

Library (where it is hosted) re-opening fully. Advice and Information Centres (AIC) - all four AIC remain closed. Recent discussions with the four centres have confirmed that there has been very little demand for Council services since being closed. The Public Services Centre remains closed to the public.

44 Build on our communities’ connections with Deferred - Through the Community green space, walking and cycling to Funding Officer, the Council is providing encourage healthy, sustainable living and funding advice for community projects, appreciation of biodiversity. (page 24 of including environmental and health recovery tracker) initiatives. Through the development process there are health and community policies to encourage new communities to access facilities and green space that encourage healthy, active lifestyles.

5.0 FINANCIAL SUMMARY - REVENUE POSITION

5.1 The financial budget summary at Q2 shows a (329,720) deficit against the full year budget. The deficit stated includes government support grant expected during the year. This position is in line with expectations of financial performance during the coronavirus lockdown. The Council is very much aware of the additional costs and reduced income caused by coronavirus in the first two quarters. This report now brings into focus the core operational activities of the Council during the period and highlights some of the savings made which reduces the overall deficit to the Council.

5.2 Below is a summary of the expenditure position for the Council, split out between the main expenditure types. Services expenditure Full Year Full Year Budget Projection Variance £ £ £ Employees 10,629,414 9,987,013 642,401 Premises 614,421 586,968 27,453 Transport 86,630 19,118 67,512 Supplies & Services 1,991,814 1,970,903 20,911 Payments to Third Parties 5,913,850 6,010,498 (96,648) Transfer Payments 12,449,021 12,449,021 0

COVID-19 Costs 0 1,543,054 (1,543,054) Projects Funded Externally 0 950,766 (950,766) Income (19,968,839) (18,651,731) (1,317,108) 11,716,311 14,865,611 (3,149,300)

Corporate Codes

Interest Received (501,300) (481,470) (19,830) Interest Costs 513,000 537,132 (24,132) Investment Properties (2,713,904) (2,714,098) 194 Corporate Savings Targets (57,500) 70,170 (127,670) Reserve Funding 0 (950,766) 950,766 RSG and other grant funding (36,936) (1,841,596) 1,804,660 New Homes Bonus (3,762,756) (3,762,756) 0 Business rates (2,585,070) (2,820,662) 235,592 Council Tax Surplus (82,200) (82,200) 0 Parish Precepts 2,145,238 2,145,238 (0) Use of reserves, MRP 1,905,347 1,905,347 0

45 -5,176,081 (7,995,661) 2,819,580

Net budget to be funded from CT 6,540,230.00 6,869,950 (329,720)

Note: With regards to savings and deficits, items in brackets and red are overspends.

5.3 The budget position in relation to service expenditure shows an overall budget deficit of (£3,149,300).

Employee Costs – surplus of £642,401 These savings are being generated through staff vacancies, across all services. Corporate Services are predicting £72,000 of savings, Development Services £98,000 and One Legal £367,000. An impact of COVID-19 was to delay recruitment from the end of March, which may have left a greater number of posts open than normal, however recruitment processes are operating again with all remaining vacant posts in Development and Corporate out for recruitment.

Payments to Third Parties – deficit of (£96,648) Most of this deficit against budget falls within Community Services. There has been an ongoing issue regarding the reprocessing of paper and the amount of residual waste from glass at the MRF depot operated by Suez. Additional costs have been agreed to be paid through the contract to the end of the year in relation to the quality of our paper recycling. There is also an emerging issue where the contractor is rejecting any loads which contain contaminated material. This has been occurring since the beginning of October and on the basis of rejecting two loads per week this could cost the Council an additional £100,000 during the second half of the financial year. Whilst there has been overspends reported on the Ubico contract of nearly £100,000, including corporate costs and vehicle repair costs, these have been offset by a gain as a result of the revaluation of the Gloucestershire Local Government Pension Scheme.

COVID-19 Costs – deficit of (£1,543,054) The Council has separately identified where we have incurred costs as a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of identifying these costs is to demonstrate to central government the impact on our revenue position and that without additional financial support these costs would have a significant impact on the reserves held by the Council. The areas that have been identified are: 1) The Council has a contractual requirement with Places Leisure to provide revenue support to cover the costs of operating the leisure centre as a result of the change in law which brought about operating restrictions. The contract requires that on a month by month basis the Council will pay the difference between unavoidable costs and revenue, so that a break-even position is maintained for the operator. At Q2 the cost to the Council is £281,000. This is an ongoing support agreement until the leisure centre is able to return to normal operating capacity. It is anticipated that the Council will be required to cover the funding shortfall until April 2021 at which point it is hoped to move to a cost neutral position. The full expected contribution is expected to be £473,000. 2) The Council has purchased 115 laptops to ensure that staff have been able to work from home. As there was a plan to move some staff onto laptops during the year, £40,000 of cost have been paid for from capital reserves. The remaining purchase cost and the additional agency resource required to help build laptops for staff resulted in an additional £60,000 cost.

46 3) Ubico have been recording the additional costs they have incurred as they respond to the COVID-19 pandemic as they have continued to provide services, whilst ensuring that staff are protected. They incurred additional costs of agency workers, seconded staff and hire of vehicles to deliver additional rounds as the service could not be delivered safely as per normal operating conditions. The purchase of personal protective equipment was a priority to ensure teams could work together on rounds. Ubico are predicting an additional £100,000 of expenditure. 4) Across all areas of the Council there has been a significant increase in demand on services particularly supporting vulnerable people in the borough whether that is residents who were shielding, those finding themselves homeless and those that are facing unemployment and requiring financial support. There was also a significant effort required to support businesses particularly delivering central governments business grants schemes. The Council has had additional costs from providing staff with unsociable hours payments and paying overtime claims in the region of £42,000 at Q2. Overtime claims are expected to continue in some services as more central government schemes relating to COVID-19 are introduced. For example, self- isolation payments and audit assurance of the initial business grants. In some instanced we have needed to use agency to backfill core services or help with the COVID response. The total in year cost is estimated to be £280,000.

Income – deficit of (£1,317,108) The deficit on income has currently been attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, and has resulted in: 1) Planning income is expected to be under budget by £276,000, including planning fees, land charges and street name and numbering. It is not clear what impact that COVID-19 has had on the level of planning applications expected in 2020/21. The Ministry of Defence have decided not to submit a budgeted application worth £230,000. Development services are reviewing forecasts for the year, particularly in regard to large applications which are expected and generate significant fees. 2) £248,000 of lost income from car parks as all charges were suspended during the lock down period. Fees are unlikely to pick up as we enter the winter months. 3) £69,000 of lost income from rental income as some businesses were closed during the lock down period. 4) £42,000 lost income on trade waste during the first half of the year, as a significant number of our customers businesses were closed and their accounts were suspended during the lockdown period. The full service has now resumed but this could change if businesses are forced to close again. 5) £33,000 budget deficit on licencing particularly around lost renewals on vehicle and taxi licences and also premises licences. 6) £47,000 budget deficit on the recovery of housing benefit overpayments and as the Courts have been closed there has been no revenue from Council Tax Summons. This amounts to a £100,000 loss. 7) A potential £214,000 budget deficit on One Legal fees, as third party clients focus has been on response to the pandemic rather than day to day business requiring legal support. One Legal anticipated significant growth during the financial year but the pandemic has not made this possible.

5.4 Attached at Appendix 3 is a summary of the position for each Head of Service, which shows the current variance against their budget. Where the main types of expenditure headings within the head of service’s responsibility have a variance over £10,000, a short explanation for the reason for the variance has been provided.

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5.5 Corporate codes

The corporate codes include the other sources of financing which are needed to balance the budget.

Our commercial investment portfolio is currently showing as being on budget. We have negotiated two income deferral schemes where clients are managing cash flows by deferring the payment of the rental income due to a later date. However, we still account for the income in the period that it is due.

Treasury Management is showing a reduction of expected interest received, this is due to fall in interest rates. The uncertainty caused by the pandemic has made investing money increasingly challenging. We have received large amounts of government grants that we have been able to invest in the short term but the returns are not substantial.

Interest costs on borrowing are also forecasted to be over budget at the end of the financial year. One reason being the decision to undertake liquidity borrowing of £15million in late March. This decision was taken prior to the announcement of government business grants and the deferral of business rates payments to the government and was made to ensure we could meet our creditor requirements during the early days of the pandemic. The additional borrowing undertaken has now been repaid. Borrowing was also required for the purchase of our new investment property in Tipton. This coincided with others wanting to increase their own liquidity, and therefore increased borrowing prices. The Council will keep under review its liquidity and will look to take out further borrowing if it is deemed necessary.

At the end of Q2 we are showing a small gain on business rates, based on current information. There is no doubt that COVID-19 has impacted on businesses, and we will continue to monitor business rates on a monthly basis. A large part of this is business intelligence and knowing if businesses are likely to cease trading. This would impact on future years estimates of retained business income rather than an impact in the current year. The government has also provided over £10million in business rates relief to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, meaning that the Council is insulated from business failings in these sectors this year. We are yet to hear whether this support will continue to next financial year.

5.6 Government Support

The Government has allocated £1,247,602 of un-ringfenced additional funding in 2020/21 to support the Council’s spending pressures. This has not been directly allocated to individual service areas but will be kept as additional general funding to support the overall budget of the Council.

The government is also providing revenue contributions to cover lost income, which will also help improve the revenue position. The announcement was that the government will reimburse authorities for 75% of income losses relating to sales, fees and charges occurring in 2020-21, as a result of COVID-19. Authorities will be responsible for losses up to a 5% threshold. The first claim was submitted in September with estimated compensation of £176,000. The full impact on income streams is still unknown, particularly with the uncertainty over the winter months. The estimate for compensation for the year is currently £550,000, which will cover some of the budget deficits identified on income above.

The Council is taking into account government support provided and will monitor the budget impact over the remainder of the year. It will report back to Members through the quarterly monitoring reports.

48 5.7 COVID-19 Business Grants

COVID-19 Business Grants Scheme Allocation Spent Balance remaining COVID-19 Business Grants 17,660,000 17,065,000 595,000 Discretionary Business Grants 883,000 882,980 20

COVID-19 Community Grants 100,000 67,586 32,414 18,643,000 18,015,566 627,434

As part of the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of grants were made available for business to claim. The government asked local government bodies to administer the distribution of grants.

Tewkesbury Borough Council has been allocated a total of £18,543,000 to distribute to businesses, of which we have now paid a total of £17,947,980. The scheme was closed on 28 August 2020. There was a significant amount of effort from the grants team and communications to distribute the full amount and to make businesses aware. Whilst the aim was to distribute as much of the allocated funds as possible, within the parameters of the scheme defined by government, there was a balance remaining at the closure of the scheme. The balances need to be returned to central government.

The Council is now into the next phase of the schemes which will involve the post payment assurance checks required by government. Whilst Tewkesbury put in place many checks pre-payment, there still remains a significant workload to meet all of the requirements. government has paid a new burdens grant of £130,000 to the Council to cover the costs of the administration of the business grants schemes.

From 12 October the Council is also administering the Test and Trace Support payments. Tewkesbury have been given £32,000 from central government in order to grant £500 to low income individuals who are asked to self-isolate.

Further schemes are likely to be announced if Tewkesbury Borough is moved into a higher COVID Tier level. The Council will continue to inform and update Members on the COVID response, including the financial implications, on a quarterly basis.

5.8 Full year forecast

The full year forecast, for all aspects of the Council’s activities during 2020/21, shows an estimated deficit of £329,720. A number of assumptions have been made in calculating this forecast and are clearly subject to change, particularly if the Council is placed in higher COVID restriction tiers or another national lockdown occurs. In addition, other events such as the exit from the European Union and severe weather events could further change the forecast.

However, based on the Q2 forecast, the Council stands in a good position with only a relatively modest deficit forecast. The Council will benefit from a significant Business Rates collection fund surplus in the current year, not shown in the above figures, which can be used to meet this deficit. Balances remaining from this collection fund surplus will be allocated to reserves to meet the significant financial costs of balancing future year budgets.

6.0 CAPITAL BUDGET POSITION

6.1 Appendix 4 shows the capital budget position as at Q2. This is currently showing an underspend against the profiled budget of £69,094.

49 6.2 The capital programme for the year has an approved budget of £16.7million to secure commercial investment properties. The acquisition of one property has been completed in quarter one and the deposit on a second acquisition has been paid, with the expected completion to occur in December 2020. The purchases have passed the Council’s due diligence processes and are in line with the budget allocated.

6.3 The capital replacement programme assumed that we would purchase a number of laptops in the current year, to replace older equipment. The impact of COVID-19 has meant laptops were purchased for all staff to enable them to work from home. We have allocated some of those laptop purchases against the available capital budget.

7.0 RESERVES POSITION

7.1 Appendix 5 provides a summary of the current usage of available reserves.

7.2 Reserves have been set aside from previous years to fund known future costs and the strategic planning of the authority’s operation. The information in the appendix does not take account of reserves which have been committed, but not yet paid.

7.3 Whilst the Q2 position shows that there remains a significant balance on the reserves, the expectation is that the balances will be spent in the future. Finance has asked for updates from all departments about their plans to ensure that earmarked reserves are either used for their intended purpose or released back to the general fund.

8.0 OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED

8.1 None.

9.0 CONSULTATION

9.1 None.

10.0 RELEVANT COUNCIL POLICIES/STRATEGIES

10.1 Council Plan 2020-24. COVID-19 Corporate Recovery Plan 2020.

11.0 RELEVANT GOVERNMENT POLICIES

11.1 None directly.

12.0 RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS (Human/Property)

12.1 None directly.

13.0 SUSTAINABILITY IMPLICATIONS (Social/Community Safety/Cultural/ Economic/ Environment)

13.1 Linked to individual Council Plan and COVID-19 Corporate Recovery Plan actions.

14.0 IMPACT UPON (Value For Money/Equalities/E-Government/Human Rights/Health And Safety)

14.1 Linked to individual Council Plan and COVID-19 Corporate Recovery Plan actions.

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15.0 RELATED DECISIONS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT FACTS

15.1 Council Plan 2020-24 approved by Council 28 January 2020. COVID-19 Corporate Recovery Plan 2020 approved by Executive Committee 5 August 2020.

Background Papers: None. Contact Officer: Head of Corporate Services (Appendix 1 and 2) Tel: 01684 272002 email: [email protected] Head of Finance and Asset Management (Appendix 3-5) Tel: 01684 272005 email: [email protected] Appendices: 1 – Council Plan Performance Tracker Qtr 2 2020/21 2 – Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan performance tracker 2020/21. 3 - Revenue Budget. 4 - Capital Budget. 5 – Reserves.

51 Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report Council Plan tracker actions/ KPI progress key: KPI direction of travel key:  Action progressing well/ PI on or above target ↑ PI is showing improved performance on previous year  Action has some issues/ delay but not significant PI is on par with previous year performance slippage/ PI below target but likely to achieve end of year ↔ target  Significant risk to not achieving the action or there has PI is showing performance is not as good as previous year been significant slippage in the timetable, or performance ↓ is below target/ PI significantly below target and unlikely to achieve target Project has not yet commenced/ date not available or required to report  Tracker action is complete or annual target achieved

PRIORITY: FINANCE AND RESOURCES 52 Responsible Progress to Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group date

Objective 1. To ensure the council remains financially secure in the long term. Project on hold until the next financial year or until a) Introducing and Target date: to be Head of Finance & resource becomes available to support it. The majority of complying with confirmed. Asset Management the code’s requirements are already standard practice CIPFA’s new Lead Member for within the council. Financial Deferred for Finance and Asset Management Code. 2020/21 Management

£5m invested in pooled funds at the start of the calendar b) To maximise the Target date: March Head of Finance & year. Income returns hold up well, but capital values have return and balance the 2021 Asset Management fallen through coronavirus impact. risk of our treasury Lead Member for  Returns from general investments have fallen as interest investments. Finance and Asset rates have been cut with some parties offering 0% or Management negative rates. Q2 estimates a full year deficit of around £20k on investment income.

Council Plan- Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators- 2020-21- progress report 1

Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

PRIORITY: FINANCE AND RESOURCES

Responsible Progress to Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group date

Objective 2. Maintain a low council tax.

a) Produce a Medium- Target date: January Head of Finance & Drafting is underway but lack of clarity from Government Term Financial 2021 Asset Management hinders progress. The strategy will need to be based on a Strategy, which Lead Member for series of assumptions rather than certainty over funding. ensures that council Finance and Asset  tax remains low for Management This action will be monitored through the corporate Covid- our residents. 19 recovery plan performance tracker. (Finance and resources- rebuild- action a). Objective 3. Maintain our assets to maximise financial returns. No resource available to undertake the task in the current a) Update the council’s Target date: to be Head of Finance & Deferred for

53 year. The current Asset Management Plan (AMP) will be asset management confirmed. Asset Management 2020/21 rolled over for a further year and the need for an updated plan. Lead Member for version will be addressed in the new financial year. Finance and Asset Management

b) Approve a new Target date: to be Head of Finance & No resource available to undertake the task in the current planned maintenance confirmed. Asset Management year. programme. Lead Member for Deferred for Finance and Asset 2020/21 Management

The purchase of a Volvo garage in Crawley will be c) Review our property Target date: March Head of Finance &  portfolio to ensure 2021 Asset Management completed in December 2020 and bring the total ongoing benefits to investment in commercial property by the council to £60m. Lead Member for our communities. The portfolio will generate around £3.43m (5.73%) gross Finance and Asset rental resulting in just under £2m benefit to the council. Management

Council Plan- Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators- 2020-21- progress report 2

Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

PRIORITY: FINANCE AND RESOURCES

Responsible Progress to Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group date

Objective 4. Deliver the council’s commercial strategy.

a) Develop a business Target date: April Head of Community A project plan was brought to Overview and Scrutiny case to ensure our 2017 July 2017 Services Committee on 13 October 2020. Work is now underway trade waste service August 2017 April with APSE to create a detailed business case which will be Lead Member for operates more 2018 April 2019 brought back to the committee as agreed in March 2021. Clean and Green commercially. December 2019 Environment September 2020  February 2021 Target date: March 2021

54 (revised date reported to O&S committee in October 2020) Due to Covid-19 restrictions, Property Services has b) In-source the Target date: Head of Community extended the contract to manage the properties with management of our April 2021 Services Deferred for Stonham to 31 March 2021. The ability to manage these homeless property 2020/21 Lead Member for properties would have been severely impacted by portfolio. Housing demands on Property Services and having to work remotely.

Council Plan- Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators- 2020-21- progress report 3

Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

PRIORITY: ECONOMIC GROWTH

Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date Objective 1. Deliver our strategic plans and economic development plans. Year four of the strategy commenced in June 2020. a) Deliver the final Target date: Head of

year of the Development June 2021 Work achieved includes: Economic Services • Development and June 2022 Year 2 delivery of Tewkesbury Growth Hub and Service. Lead Member for • Tourism Strategy Roll out and delivery of Hub Surgery Sessions for businesses (reported to Economic with a Planning Champion. O&S committee Development/ • Delivery of Countywide Inward Investment Service including in November Promotion new website launch. 2020) • Year 2 delivery of ‘Uncover the Cotswolds’ project. • Successful Tewkesbury Heritage Action Zone Fund bid and delivery programme development.

55 • Covid-19 Pandemic response - Tewkesbury Growth Hub and Economic Development team proactively contacted over 1400 businesses to promote support available.  • Growth Hub Team acted rapidly to realign its service in response to Covid-19 • Delivery of Reopening High Streets Safely Fund – working closely with the retail centres in the borough, supporting the safe re-opening of businesses. • Over 20 Town Centre Ambassadors worked to support businesses and welcome the community back to the borough’s retail centres. Reported to November O&S committee, that current strategy will run until 2022.

This will be monitored through the Covid-19 recovery performance tracker. (Economic Growth- refocus- action a).

Council Plan- Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators- 2020-21- progress report 4

Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

The hub was launched in November 2018 and continues to support b) Deliver growth Target date: Head of the business community. Since opening, 1965 businesses have hub services in April 2021 Development visited the hub. the Public Services

Services Centre. Lead Member for In this quarter, 21 online business workshops and 1-2-1 events have Economic been delivered including social media, marketing, branding and Development/ growth reviews. Advice continues to include Covid-19 response, Promotion  providing advice and signposting to relevant support, as well as business as usual Growth Plans. In line with Government guidelines the service remains as a virtual offer - online and telephone. The team has also been partially redeployed into both the Covid-19 business cell and the recovery cell.

Also reported in the Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan performance tracker. (Economic Growth- Recover- action a). The draft Local Industrial Strategy (LIS) had successfully passed c) Work with the Target date: Head of through the Local Industrial Strategy analysts’ panel and was ready Local Enterprise Development December 2019 to be submitted to central government for approval. As a result of 56 Partnership (LEP) Services Deferred Covid-19, submission has been postponed with further guidance and other partners June 2020 Lead Member for pending awaited from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial to deliver the Date to be Economic response Strategy (BEIS) on the next steps and timescales. Further work will Local Industrial confirmed Development/ from now be looked at to potentially to include a Covid-19 recovery plan/ Strategy (LIS). BEIS (as reported to Promotion addendum as part of the final LIS. O&S July 2020) PRIORITY: ECONOMIC GROWTH Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date Objective 2. Deliver employment land and infrastructure to facilitate economic growth.

a) Deliver Autumn 2019 Head of 112ha of employment land has been allocated within the JCS. The employment land Development  take up of employment land will be monitored in the Authority Spring 2020 through allocating Services Monitoring Report (AMR) which government planning guidance land in the Joint Target date: requires the council to publish. Core Strategy Winter 2020 The JCS review has been underway for a while. It is an extensive (JCS) and process that involves gathering a significant amount of new evidence

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

Tewkesbury Summer 2021 Lead Member for as well as a complete review of existing policies and potential new Borough Plan (Draft JCS the Built policy areas. This will include further evidence gathering on (TBP). Consultation) Environment employment needs – as part of this a Gloucestershire-wide economic needs assessment has been commissioned and is nearing (revised date completion. This will inform the amount and type of employment land reported to O&S required. committee in October 2020) To ensure the Regulation 18 consultation provides a clear planning strategy which is supported by robust evidence, it has been agreed to

delay the Regulation 18 consultation to the summer of 2021. The overall programme however to have the plan submitted by 2022 is still achievable.

Winter 2018 The Tewkesbury Borough Plan has identified further employment sites which have been informed by the Employment Land Review. Summer 2019 Potential employment sites have been assessed to see if they would Autumn 2019 make sustainable allocations for inclusion in the plan. This has been December 2019 supported by several evidence base documents to support evidence

57 of deliverability. As such, over 40ha of new employment has been Target date:  identified in the plan. Adoption: Spring 2021 The Borough Plan has been submitted to the Secretary of State and it is anticipated that the Examination into the Plan will be held Autumn 2021 February/March 2021, with adoption expected later in the year. (New revised There has been a delay in the timetable due to Covid. The date reported to examination will now take place in early 2021, and adoption is O&S committee expected later in the year. The examination into the Local Plan is in January 2021) anticipated to be held February/March 2021, with adoption expected later in the year.

Council Plan- Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators- 2020-21- progress report 6

Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

PRIORITY: ECONOMIC GROWTH

Reporting Progres Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group s to date

Objective 2. Deliver employment land and infrastructure to facilitate economic growth. All-ways Junction 10 b) Work with Target date: Director of Garden As part of the budget announcement, Gloucestershire County partners to secure March 2021 Communities Council has been awarded £249m to deliver an all-ways J10. This transport (Junction 10) Lead Member for project consists of an all-ways motorway junction, link road to the infrastructure the Built West Cheltenham development site and a park and ride interchange. improvements Environment Public consultation has taken place and finished on 25 November around the 2020. borough, including Post public consultation, further detailed option analysis will be the all-ways undertaken in order to support an announcement about the preferred junction 10,  scheme design and location in Spring 2021. Another public junction 9 and the consultation exercise will then accompany the planning application A46 58 which follows. improvements. Additional project information can be found on the GCC website - https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/highways/major-projects- list/m5-junction-10-improvements-scheme/

Also reported in the Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan performance tracker. (Garden communities- Rebuild- action a). J9 and A46 Offline Solution Target date: October 2021 The council continues to be actively engaged in both the A46 (business case Partnership and Midlands Connect to promote the development for Gov’t funding opportunities at the Garden Town. A first stage bid for major approved- J9 investment to support the delivery of an off-line J9/A46 solution has and A46)  now been submitted to the Department for Transport and work continues finalising the next stage business case. Gloucestershire

County Council continues with the project with submission date to the Department of Transport of September 2021.

Also reported in the Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan performance tracker. (Garden communities- Rebuild- action a).

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

c) Support the Target date: Head of Officers have been working with Gloucestershire County Council on delivery of the Development the development of the revised Local Transport Plan. This is currently March 2021 County’s Local Services due for adoption by Gloucestershire County Council in early 2021. (Ongoing Transport Plan. project) Lead Member for The JCS Review will have a significant impact on transport and travel the Built within the area. To support the development of the JCS there will be Environment  an associated JCS Transport Strategy to identify infrastructure requirements needed to deliver growth, work on this has started, and

will produce a strategy to accompany each stage of the plan review. Gloucestershire County Council, as the highways authority, are a key partner in the Transport Strategy and joint working is taking place to progress it. Infrastructure identified to deliver JCS review growth will feed into future reviews of the Local Transport Plan.

PRIORITY: ECONOMIC GROWTH Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date

59 Objective 3. Deliver borough regeneration schemes. Target date: a) Work with Head of A contract has now been signed between the council and Historic March 2021 partners to deliver Development England. The Tewkesbury High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ)

the Heritage Services has been activated. The project has been delayed due to Covid-19

Action Zone and as a result the programme design will need to be amended to Lead Member for (HAZ). reflect the impact of Covid-19 restrictions by January 2021. Economic Development/ The HSHAZ programme is a four-year plan which will include a Promotion number of activities such as: • manage a grant scheme for shopfront and façade  improvements including promotion of habitation above historic shops and the promotion of the use of traditional skills and materials for repair. • The Council will set up a 'Cultural Consortium' consisting of six to eight local community groups (from business groups to amenity societies and schools etc.). Background work is now being implemented and will be launched in full at an appropriate time once the programme design has been amended and the Programme Manager has been recruited which is

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scheduled to be in post by March 2021. The final HSHAZ delivery will be in 2024. A draft phase 1a report has been completed by the council’s b) Bring forward Target date: Head of appointed consultants and will be presented to the member working plans for the June 2019, July Development group on 30 November. An assessment of the resource needed to redevelopment of 2019, March Services and Head take this project forward will need to be made as the original reserve Spring Gardens. 2020, October of Finance and Deferred allocated is spent and there is no dedicated internal resource for the 2020 Asset project. Revised target Lead Member for date: Economic Development/ To be confirmed. Promotion

Objective 4. Promote the borough as an attractive place to live and visit. Working with Cotswold Tourism over the last quarter, the following a) Work with Target date: Head of Cotswold Tourism Development has occurred: March 2021 • Continued social media posts

60 to promote the Services area. • Website promotion Lead Member for • Promotional campaigns Economic Development/  • Interactive workshops and training sessions, supporting Promotion businesses affected by Covid-19 This work will be ongoing throughout the year. This action will also be monitored through the Corporate Covid-19 Recovery performance tracker (economic growth- refocus- action c), to understand when and how to safely encourage visitors back to the borough.

b) Promote, through Target date: Head of Background work is now being implemented and the Tewkesbury the Heritage Development HSHAZ will be launched in full at a suitable time following the March 2021 Action Zone Services  recruitment of Programme Manager. A community engagement plan (ongoing project) (HAZ), the will also be developed as part of the programme, by March 2021. Lead Member for heritage offer of Economic Tewkesbury through the

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cultural Development/ consortium. Promotion Officers sit on the steering group for Tewkesbury Together 2021. c) Celebrate with Target date: Head of partners the December 2021 Development The group has now been re-established following Covid19 delays significance of Services and is finalising proposals for the year’s celebrations. The council’s  2021 for Executive Committee has awarded £25,000 towards Tewkesbury Lead Member for Tewkesbury. Together 2021. Economic

Development/ Promotion

Key performance indicators for priority: ECONOMIC GROWTH Outturn Outturn Outturn Outturn KPI KPI Outturn Target Direction Traffic Comment Portfolio Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 no. description 2019-20 2020- of travel light Lead / Head 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 21 icon of service

82.4% relates to 47,700 Lead 61 people within the Member for borough. This is above Economic Employment the national rate of Development 1 rate 16-64 81.8% 82.4% 76.0% / Promotion year olds. Head of (Source ONS April 2019 Development – March 2020 current Services figures)

September 2020 figure Lead of 4.1% relates to 2,325 Member for people within the Economic Claimant borough. This figure is Development 2 unemployment 1.8% 4.2% 4.1% below the county rate of / Promotion rate. 4.9% Head of (Source: ONS). Development Services

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Number of 425 These are the current Lead 3 business (2018 ONS figures for Member for births. figure) Business Births and Economic Death Rates. Development / Promotion Number of Business births have business increased with 425 new Head of 4 deaths businesses in 2018. Development Services 395 The number of business (2018 deaths has reduced on figure) last year and remain below the county, regional and national average. Both TICs were closed Number of Lead 4,000 during this period, due visitors to Member for Tewkesbury (2019- to Covid-19. Economic 5 22,551 0 0 Tourist 20 Development target- 62 Information / Promotion 28,000) The reopening of the Centre (TIC) TICs will be reviewed Head of again shortly. Development Services Discussions are ongoing Number of Data for 1,000 about moving back to visitors to Q4 not Winchcombe (2019- the refurbished available 6 Tourist 20 0 0 Winchcombe Heritage target- Information (Q1-Q3= Centre, rather than the 7,500) Centre (TIC) 8,960) temporary location of Winchcombe Library.

Tewkesbury Growth Lead Hub remains closed to Member for visitors as a result of Economic Number of 1346 Covid-19. Development 7 visitors entering 1000 0 0 / Promotion the Growth Hub Head of Development Services

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PRIORITY: HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES

Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date Objective 1. Deliver the housing needs of our communities

a) Work with Autumn 2019 Head of The JCS Review and the initial issues and options consultation was partners to Development completed on 11 January 2019. Responses to the consultation are Spring 2020 undertake the Services now being considered in order to progress the review to Draft Plan required review of Target date: stage. The review will consider future growth requirements in the area, Lead Member for the JCS. Winter 2020 including addressing the shortfalls identified in the adopted JCS. the Built Summer 2021 Environment  Key pieces of evidence for the review have been completed or are (Draft JCS nearing completion, including a retail assessment, a study on the Consultation) potential for strategic sites; a sustainable transport strategy and an (revised date assessment of economic need requirements. Two dedicated JCS staff reported to O&S have also now been appointed to progress the plan towards a draft for consultation. 63 committee in October 2020) To ensure the Regulation 18 consultation provides a clear planning strategy which is supported by robust evidence, it has been agreed to delay the Regulation 18 consultation to the summer of 2021.

b) Finalise and adopt Winter 2018 Head of The Tewkesbury Borough Plan has been submitted to the the Tewkesbury Development Government to undertake its independent examination. However, Summer 2019 Borough Plan. Services there has been a delay in the timetable due to Covid. The examination Autumn 2019 will now take place in early 2021, and adoption is expected later in the

December 2019 year. The examination into the Local Plan is anticipated to be held Lead Member for  February/March 2021, with adoption expected later in the year. Target date: the Built Adoption: Spring Environment 2021 Autumn 2021 (New revised date reported to O&S committee in January 2021)

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PRIORITY: HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES

Reporting Progres Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group s to date Objective 1. Deliver the housing needs of our communities Work with private landlords was limited during Q1 due to Covid-19 c) Develop a work March 2019, Head of restrictions. Lettings of properties were greatly reduced, and the programme with June 2019, Community council was unable to meet with landlords and tenants face-to-face to landlords to September Services build relationships. ensure residents 2019, December Lead Member for have a supply of 2019, November Housing The council has continued to engage with landlords/agents through rented properties 2020. surveys to assess potential eviction action. to meet their  January 2021 needs. New target date: An evaluation of this pilot is in progress but due to unavoidable staffing March 2021 issues there has been delays in getting the report finalised for Overview and Scrutiny committee in January 2021. It is hoped that the (New revised

64 report can be brought back to the Committee in March 2021. date reported to O&S committee in January 2021) Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC) will undertake a d) Carry out housing March 2020 Head of Housing Needs Survey on our behalf. To capture all rural areas across needs Community Target date: the borough, surveys will be carried out in phases. The latest round of assessments to Services February 2021 surveys was posted to households throughout September 2020. deliver affordable Lead Member for housing in rural March 2023  Housing These surveys went to households in Forthampton, Chaceley, Tirley, areas. (overall completion) Hasfield, Ashleworth and Deerhurst and included a focus on Community Led Housing (CLH), where people and communities play (Target date a leading role in addressing their own housing needs. Homes England reported to O&S is helping with funds to support the delivery of CLH and we have used committee in this survey to inform our next steps in this area. October 2020) Production of the reports for recent survey work were delayed due to long term illness at GRCC and a report is due to be delivered in February 2021, but this could be subject to change.

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The next phase of surveys is scheduled for spring 2021 and will continue until March 2023 to ensure all areas of the borough are covered.

PRIORITY: HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES

Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date

Objective 2. Ensure development plans provide for the five year land supply requirement. Autumn 2019 a) Ensure adequate Head of The JCS Review and the initial issues and options consultation was Spring 2020 land is allocated Development completed on 11 January 2019. Responses to the consultation are within the JCS Target date: Services now being considered in order to progress the review to Draft Plan and Tewkesbury Winter 2020 stage.

Borough Plan to Summer 2021 The review will consider future growth requirements in the area, meet housing Lead Member for (Draft JCS including addressing the shortfalls identified in the adopted JCS as need. the Built  65 Consultation) well as planning for the long term. A key piece of ongoing work is an Environment assessment of the potential options for strategic growth in the area. (revised date reported to O&S To ensure the Regulation 18 consultation provides a clear planning committee in strategy which is supported by robust evidence, it has been agreed to October 2020) delay the Regulation 18 consultation to the summer of 2021. Winter 2018 The Tewkesbury Borough Plan has been submitted to the Summer 2019 Government to undertake its independent examination. There has Autumn 2019 been a delay in the process due to Covid and the examination will now December 2019 take place in early 2021, with adoption expected later in the year. Target date:

Adoption: Spring  2021 Autumn 2021 (New revised date reported to O&S committee in January 2021)

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b) Work with Target date: Head of The JCS was adopted on 11 December 2017. The JCS sets out the developers and March 2021 Development overall housing requirement for the borough and sets the spatial stakeholders to Services strategy for meeting development needs.

deliver sustainable Lead Member for In undertaking strategic duties with the planning authority, officers are sites to meet the Built working to deliver housing needs. housing needs.  Environment The JCS review will further consider development needs and the identification of additional sites to meet growth requirements going forward. This will involve further work with developers and stakeholders to progress sustainable site options.

c) Annually monitor Target date: Head of Both the five-year housing land supply statement and the Tewkesbury the delivery of Development Borough Council housing monitoring report for 2019/20 is complete October 2020 homes within the Services  and are both available on the council's website. borough. Lead Member for the Built Environment 66 PRIORITY: HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date Objective 3. Support infrastructure and facilities delivery to enable sustainable communities. Innsworth – Reserved matters applications are being submitted. a) Work with Target date: Head of Phase 1 for 253 dwellings has been approved and construction of partners, March 2021 Development dwellings on site has now started. infrastructure Services Phase 2 for 175 dwellings has been received and is awaiting providers and Lead Member for decision. developers, to the Built progress the Environment Twigworth – Reserved matters application for 79 dwellings (phase delivery of key 1a – of the outline approval for 725 dwellings) has been approved. sites.  Further reserved matters application approved for 74 dwellings on separate parcel within the allocation. Reserved matters application approved for 154 dwellings and associated public open space, engineering operations, drainage infrastructure and landscaping (phase 1b)

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Reserved matters application approved for 5 residential units, public open space and drainage infrastructure. Reserved matters application approved for access road to local centre (subject of a separate reserved matters application). Reserved matters application received for the erection of a local centre. Outline application for a further 32 dwellings received on a separate parcel within the allocation. Reserved matters application received and approved for the infrastructure on this site – vehicular access off the A38. Reserved matters application received for public open space (including formal sports area and MUGA), changing rooms and car park and infrastructure.

South Churchdown – reserved matters application granted for 465 dwellings as a first phase of development within this allocation.

Brockworth- Reserved matters applications approved for 600 67 dwellings: Phase 1 (135 dwellings) and Phase 2&5 (240 dwellings) and Phase 3 (225 dwellings). Delivery of houses has now begun on two phases of this site.

North West Cheltenham – Outline application has been submitted. Officers continuing to work with the developers on transport issues in order to progress the planning application.

West Cheltenham - Related to above, officers are working on transport matters as well as other master planning/development issues. The Gold Valley (West Cheltenham) SPD has now been adopted to guide the development.

Ashchurch – a phase one framework masterplan is being produced which will may lead to the preparation of an SPD in parallel to the production of the JCS – which will formally allocate the site. The Fiddington site received planning consent on appeal.

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Reserved matters applications received for phase 2 West for the erection of a garden centre and associated works. and phase 2 East for the erection of a retail outlet centre. Further funds have been advertised on the council’s website, to be b) Through the Target date: Head of determined by the S106 Panel in December 2020. These include development March 2021 Development several sums for Winchcombe, Stoke Orchard and Brockworth. process, work with Services  communities to Lead Member for Officers have also been communicating with parishes to allocate deliver the the Built S106 from the relevant s106 agreements across a number of Community Environment parishes within the borough. Infrastructure Levy

(CIL) and Section Four parish councils will receive neighbourhood funding from CIL 106. receipts following development in their parish, as required by legislation, on 28 October 2020. The parish councils are; Gotherington- £3,538.33, Bishops Cleeve- £27,287.39, Wheatpieces- £5,710.80 and Twyning- £5,434.00.

68 To help parishes prepare for the spending and reporting requirements that go with the CIL funding, parishes who have had funding or will be receiving funding in the next two year were invited to a joint council/GRCC workshop on 14 October 2020. This seminar was well received.

Key performance indicators for priority: HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES Outturn Outturn Outturn Outturn KPI KPI description Outturn Target Direction Traffic Comment Portfolio Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 no. 2019-20 2020- of travel light Lead / Head 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 21 icon of service

This includes 90 Triage Lead cases as an indication of member for Total number total service demand. Housing of homeless This quarter is busier than Head of 8 704 135 178 applications the previous quarter but Community within the range of last Services presented year, this could be an effect of lockdown restrictions lifting.

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This demand is predominantly made up of triage or advice only cases, indicating the ongoing demand for housing advice generally. Whilst there has been a steady increase in the number of homeless applications being presented. The number of main duty and relief cases handled shows the Housing Advice Team are assisting households at an early stage.

Key performance indicators for priority: HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES

KPI description Outturn Outturn Outturn Outturn Comment KPI Outturn Target Direction Traffic Portfolio Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Lead / Head 69 no. 2019-20 2020- of travel light 21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 icon of service Following the changes in legislation a statutory homeless duty is accepted to all applicants likely to be homeless within 56 days. Lead Total number There are three distinct member for of homeless duties. Q2 figures are as Housing 9 applications 48 7 8 follows: Head of with main duty • Prevention duty Community accepted which lasts 56 days: Services 43 • Relief duty for homeless households which lasts 56 days: 32 • Full or Main statutory homeless

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duty (this is similar to the old duty): 8

Advice/Triage: 90 Key performance indicators for priority: HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES KPI description Outturn Outturn Outturn Outturn Comment KPI Outturn Target Direction Traffic Portfolio Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 no. 2019-20 2020- of travel light Lead / Head 21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 icon of service

1775 1801 1877 The breakdown of 1 bed 1 bed 1 bed bands is: single = single= single= Emergency – 51 674 699 727 Gold – 75 Silver – 577 1 bed 1 bed 1 bed Bronze – 1174 couple = couple= couple=

184 192 200 Total – 1877 Lead Total number 2 bed = 2 bed= 2 bed= member for 70 of active 555 538 543 Housing 10 applications on Head of the housing 3 bed = 3 bed= 3 bed= Community register 259 260 279 Services 4 bed = 4 bed= 4 bed=90 83 104 5 bed= 5 bed = 19 5 bed= 17 21 6 bed= 2 6 bed = 3 6 bed= 2 7 bed= 1 7 bed= 1

Total number Lead Essentially, this is the of homeless member for total number of Housing prevention, homeless applications relief and 70 Head of 11 311 88 presents (Q2-178 legacy applications) minus the Community prevention (Q1 & number of triage cases Services cases Q2= (Q2- 90 cases). This 158) equates to the total

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number of homeless prevention, relief and legacy prevention cases opened- Q2 88.

Key performance indicators for priority: HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES KPI description Outturn Outturn Outturn Outturn Direction Traffic KPI Outturn Target Comment Portfolio Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 of travel light no. 2019- 2020- Lead / Head icon 2020 21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 of service

For Q2, 62.50% of major Percentage of decisions were within target timescales (5 of 8 ‘major’ applications decisions). Below the Lead determined target of 85% but slightly Member Built within 13 above the national Environment/ 12 81% 85% 83.33% 62.50% target of 60%. The DM weeks or ↓  Head of (Q1 & team currently has one alternative senior planner post Development 71 period agreed Q2= Services 71.43%) vacant and one senior with the planning officer on applicant. maternity leave, which is having an impact.

65.12% of minor decisions (28 of the 43 Percentage of decisions issued) were ‘minor’ within agreed timescales. This is Lead applications disappointing compared Member Built determined Environment/ within 8 weeks 65.12% ↑  to Q1 performance. 13 75.27% 80% 93.55% Whereas a greater Head of or alternative (Q1 & acceptance of extension Development period agreed Q2= Services with the of time requests was 77.03% recognised in Q1 as a applicant. ) result of the COVID-19 emergency and restrictions placed on working practices, Q2

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has seen a decline in agreement to requests.

Key performance indicators for priority: HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES KPI description Outturn Outturn Outturn Outturn Direction Traffic KPI Outturn Target Comment Portfolio Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 of travel light no. 2019- 2020- Lead / Head icon 2020 21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 of service

For Q2, 83.19% of other Percentage of applications were within ‘other’ agreed timescales (99 Lead applications out of 119 decisions Member Built determined 83.19% issued). While Environment/ 14 within 8 weeks 87% 90% 88.70%  performance is below or alternative (Q1 & ↓ Head of the local 90% target, it is period agreed Q2= Development considerably above the with the 85.90%) Services national target of 70%. applicant.

72 Enforcement - Two Category A cases Investigate were received in Q2 and category A both investigated within cases within 24 the 24-hour target. Lead hours (without Member Built prompt action, 100% Environment/ 15 66.67% 100%  material risk of 90% (Q1 & Head of further harm Q2= ↑ Development which could be Services 100%) reduced by early intervention).

During Q2 one Category Investigate B case was received category B Lead and investigated within cases within five Member Built the target timeframe. working days 100% Environment/ 16 (development 57.14% 90% 83.33%  Head of causing, or likely (Q1 & ↑ Development to cause, Q2= Services irreparable harm 100%) or damage).

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Key performance indicators for priority: HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES KPI KPI description Outturn Target Outturn Outturn Outturn Outturn Direction Traffic Comment Portfolio no. 2019- 2020- Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 of travel light Lead / Head 2020 21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 icon of service 2020-21 30 Category C cases were received during Q2. 12 were investigated within time. This is significantly below the target Investigate however movement category C restrictions due to Lead cases within 10 Covid-19 are still Member Built working days impacting on the ability Environment/ (risk of material 40% of officers to undertake 17 66.10% 80% 50% Head of harm to the  site visits. The team has (Q1 & ↓ Development environment or also been dealing with a Q2= Services undue harm to complex enforcement 73 44.82%) residential case which has affected amenity). officer time to deal with Category C and D cases. The senior enforcement post has also been advertised but without success.

During Q2, 22 category D cases were reported. Investigate Initial investigations for category D half of the cases were cases within 15 Lead reviewed within time. working days Member Built Most cases relate to (breaches Environment/ residential properties 18 causing limited 76.92% 70% 50% Head of 50%  and again the Covid-19 material ↓ Development emergency measures disturbance to (Q1 & Services restricted officers local residents Q2= working practices. The or to the 50%) team has also been environment). dealing with a complex enforcement case which

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

has impacted on officer time to deal with Category C and D cases. The senior enforcement post has also been advertised but without success.

PRIORITY: CUSTOMER FIRST

Progress Actions Target date Reporting Line Comment to date

Objective 1. Maintain our culture of continuous service improvement.

a) Continue to Target date: Head of This action is linked to the Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan, improve the Community Customer First – recover- action a- ‘Explore options for alternative March 2021 proactive Services ways for customer engagement e.g. housing applicants.’ Deferred

74 homelessness Lead Member prevention for Housing programme.

b) Continue to build Target date: April Head of Garden waste collections were suspended for a brief period in April. on the success of 2021 Community The service continues to show impressive performance. The budget our garden waste Services of £945,000 has been achieved. A price freeze for 2021/22 to ensure

club. those customers affected by the suspension of the service are not Lead Member disadvantaged, has been agreed. for Clean and Green An annual plan to ensure the renewal process and growth of the Environment  Garden waste service becomes ‘more business as usual’ has been developed.

Budgets for 2021 have been set and see us continue to grow the service (additional £40k). The Autumn newsletter was distributed and saw our customers (should they redeem all offers) see discounts to the tune of £25. The annual renewal planning has begun with decisions being made on sticker pack designs, costings and stock being had.

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PRIORITY: CUSTOMER FIRST

Progres Actions Target date Reporting Line Comment s to date

Objective 1. Maintain our culture of continuous service improvement.

c) Deliver the Target date: Head of The shared planning business transformation manager returned to planning service Development Tewkesbury in mid November. Work has now recommenced on the March 2021 (on improvement plan.  planning improvement plan. going project) Lead Member Built Environment The Development Management team is experiencing a number of vacancies which is having an impact.

d) Deliver the Target date: March Head of A new Communications Strategy (2020-2024) and action plan (year council’s 2021 Corporate one) was approved by Executive Committee on 8 January 2020. Communication Services Delivery of the action plan will be reviewed by the O&S committee on

75 Strategy 12 January 2021, with a new action plan for 2021 proposed. Lead Member for Customer Responding to Covid-19 has involved significant communications Focus  resource. In addition to delivering most actions within the Communications Strategy’s year one action plan, there have been several added actions implemented this year including the Covid-19 microsite, increased member bulletins, more staff comms, increased social media, as well as representation at county comms cell and internal business/community cells. This action is linked to the Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan. (Customer First – rebuild- action d)

e) Establish a new Target date: April Head of See recovery tracker for further details and successful business 2020. Corporate implementation of this action. (Recovery tracker- Customer first- transformation Services  rebuild- action a) team to support Lead Member for service Commercial improvements. Transformation

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PRIORITY: CUSTOMER FIRST

Progres Actions Target date Reporting Line Comment s to date

Objective 2. Develop online services to achieve ‘digital by preference, access for all’.

a) Develop and Target date: March Head of The Business Transformation Team is making great progress in implement a 2021 Corporate implementing the council’s new digital platform Liberty Create. The corporate digital Services aim is to ensure all current online forms are moved over to the new platform. Lead Member for platform by March 2021, which is when our current digital platform’s Commercial contract ends. Transformation  The team has been working with services from across the council to ensure that when forms are moved over, they are reviewed, and processes are made to be as efficient (for both the council and the customer) as possible.

76 Alongside moving over existing online forms, the team is also developing new online services such as paperless billing and bulky waste using the new digital platform. A full review of licensing service has started including fee income, b) Implement an Target date: April Head of online offering for 2021 Community and the project plan was approved by Licensing Committee in the licensing Services November 2020. service. Lead Member  Online applications are in two phases: Phase one - Licensing Act for Clean and 2003 and Taxi/ Private Hire Vehicle is being implemented but Green there have been some delays which are being addressed. Phase Environment two is part of the new digital platform for all other licenses, which will start post April 2021. Phase 2 is being progressed by the

Business Transformation team. A full review of the service has been presented to both c) A full review of the Target date: March Head of Management Team and the Transform Working Group. The bulky waste 2021 Community  review includes the need to address: service including Services • the online recurring annual deficit of c.£70K Lead Member • bookings. a requirement for us to provide a re-use or recycling for Clean and service as part of the provision of bulky waste

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Green • a need to meet customer requirements for an online Environment booking service • a better management system that enabled us to track the success of the service • to capitalise on the opportunity to relieve the strain on the customers services team time through automated processes and proactive measures.

The outcome of the review has led to the service being put to tender (it is expected that the request will be live in Dec 2020). A new pricing approach has been approved and some changes to the number of items being collected as standard.

New suppliers will be expected to provide the council with a re-use and recycling service. A move to a new digital platform has enabled the business transformation team to prioritise the bulkies service as one of the first services to move across to the new digital platform. 77 New processes have been devised and are being developed on the new platform. These developments will create an online booking service, automated customer communications and the chance to monitor and track KPIs and service level agreements.

Work will start once the Business Transformation Team has d) Explore the Target date: 31 Head of Finance delivered its initial priorities. Anticipated work will start 2021/22. It opportunity for an March 2022 and Asset was always the intention this would be within a second phase and is online offering for Lead Member not affected by Covid-19. our cemeteries for Finance and function. Asset Management

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

Key performance indicators for priority: CUSTOMER FIRST Outturn Outturn Outturn Outturn KPI KPI description Outturn Target Direction Traffic Comment Portfolio Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 no. 2019-20 2020- of travel light Lead / Head 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 21 icon of service

The AICs have been Lead

closed since 11 March Member Total enquiries due to Covid-19. Customer logged by the Focus/ 19 Area 686 0 0 Head of Information Centre (AIC). Corporate Services Lead Awaiting data from Citizen Total number of Member Advice Bureau. Economic people assisted Awaiting within the Development 20 borough by 1,644 415 data / Promotion / Head of 78 Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB). Development Services

Lead Member Financial gain to Awaiting data from Citizen Economic Awaiting clients resulting £1,832,9 Advice Bureau. Development/ 21 from CAB £337,852 data Promotion / 84 Head of advice Development Services The council has been Lead awarding emergency Member community grants to Economic support the Voluntary and Community Development 82 Community Sector. Over groups assisted /Promotion / 22 71 £90k has been awarded Head of with funding 124 (Q1 & to over 100 groups (52 advice Q2= 153) Development emergency grants have Services been awarded in this quarter)

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A new community funding officer was appointed in July and has continued to provide support to community groups, 30 (community grants) have been awarded in August and September.

Key performance indicators for priority: CUSTOMER FIRST KPI Outturn Target Outturn Outturn Outturn Outturn Direction Traffic Comment KPI description Portfolio no. 2019-20 2020- Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 of travel light Lead / Head 21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 icon of service The housing benefit Lead caseload continues to fall Member due to the migration of Finance and claimants to Universal Asset Credit, however still not to Management the extent estimated 79 / Head of previously. We receive an Corporate Benefits average of 13 new claims Services caseload: a month. Delays in managed migration a) Housing 2,687 2,617 2,564 means that we will 23 Benefit 4,318 4,747 4,802 continue to deal with b) Council some claim types until Tax September 2024. Reduction There has been a significant increase in the working age Council Tax Reduction caseload due to the impact of the Covid- 19 pandemic.

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

Lead Performance on new Member Average housing benefit claims Finance and number of days 14 continues to be well below Asset 24 6 8 ↓ to process new (2019- 7  the national average of 17 Management benefit claims 20 days. / Head of target Corporate 15) Services

Key performance indicators for priority: CUSTOMER FIRST KPI Outturn Target Outturn Outturn Outturn Outturn Direction Traffic Comment KPI description Portfolio no. 2019-20 2020- Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 of travel light Lead / Head 21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 icon of service Performance on change Lead in circumstances Member Average 3 continues to be on par Finance and number of days (2019- with the national average Asset to process 20 ↓ 25 2 3 3  of three days. Management change in target 80 / Head of circumstances 4) Corporate Services Council tax collection Lead performance in Q2 has Member been significantly affected Finance and by the Covid-19 Asset pandemic. We remain Management unable to take formal Percentage of / Head of recovery action for unpaid 26 council tax 98.1% 29.5% Corporate 57.5% ↓  council tax as the collected 98.3% Services magistrates’ court has not

reopened for liability order hearings. As at the end of Q2, council tax collection was 0.8% below target.

Lead Business rates collection Percentage of Member 27 99.2% 31.1% is 1.3% above target, NNDR collected 98.5% 59.8% ↑  Finance and however this is due to a Asset reduction in the net Management

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

collectable debit through / Head of reliefs being granted Corporate rather than an increase in Services cash collection.

Key performance indicators for priority: CUSTOMER FIRST KPI Outturn Target Outturn Outturn Outturn Outturn Direction Traffic Comment KPI description Portfolio no. 2019-20 2020- Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 of travel light Lead / Head 21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 icon 2020-21 of service

The total number of sick Lead Member days taken during Q2 was Organisational 389.5 which is broadly the Development/ same but slightly up from Head of Q1 (359.4 days). This is Corporate still a significant drop from Services Q2 in 2019/20 where the number of days was 464.7. 81

The total comprised of: Short term = 98.5 (19/20 Average = 121) number of sick Long term = 291 (19/20 = days per full 2.21 343.7) 28 time equivalent 12.62 8.0 2.09 (Q1 & ↑  Q2= 4.3) If rates remain at this level we can predict a year end

rate of 8.6 days per employee compared with 12.4 days per employee last year. The HR and OD team are working on a number of initiatives to ensure we continue to keep sickness at a low level and to try to avoid sickness levels rising.

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

Key performance indicators for priority: CUSTOMER FIRST KPI Outturn Target Outturn Outturn Outturn Outturn Direction Comment KPI description Traffic Portfolio no. 2019-20 2020- Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 of travel light Lead / Head 21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 icon of service

There are 806 registered Lead Member food premises, an overall Clean and increase of 61 on the Green previous year. We saw a Environment/ significant increase in new Head of premises registering in Community the first quarter and this is Services continuing at a slower rate.

99 remain unrated with another 108 exempt. Of the total rated premises, 5% With a 24 are below a food 82 Food food 4.01%  hygiene rating of 3. This 29 establishment 3.6% 3.47% ↓ hygiene remains below the target hygiene ratings. rating Under of no more than 5% of three food business having a food hygiene rating of less than 3.

There was a backlog of inspections due which is now being addressed and likely contributes to the slight change in the ratio. Increase to 4.01% however this is still below target.

144 FOIs was received in Lead Member Percentage of Q2. 133 of these were Customer

30 Freedom of 90% 91% ↑ answered within the 20 Focus/ Head information 80%  working days deadline. of Corporate (FOI) requests 92% Services

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

answered on (Q1 & Q2 Total received to date for time. = 92%) 2020-21= 241. (565 received during 2019/20)

42 formal complaints were Lead Member received in Q2. 39 were Customer Percentage of answered within the 20 Focus/ Head formal working days deadline. of Corporate 31 complaints 86% 90% 97% 93% ↑  Total received to date for Services

answered on (Q1 & Q2 2020-21= 75. time. = 95%) (199 received during 2019/20)

PRIORITY: GARDEN COMMUNITIES

Responsible Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date 83 Objective 1. Delivery of Tewkesbury Garden Town The Garden Town will form part of the Joint Core Strategy a) Formally establish the Target date: Lead Member Built Review which is scheduled for submission for examination Garden Town Environment Submission for in 2022. planning status.  examination 2022 Director of Garden Communities Governance structure options review have been drafted and b) Establish a Target date: Lead Member Built shared with Member Reference Panel. The structure once governance structure March 2021 Environment approved will be actioned by the Tewkesbury Garden Town and ways of working  Director of Garden team. A report is scheduled for Executive Committee in with key stakeholders. Communities January 2021. The Evolution of the Concept Masterplan is being prepared c) Prepare a masterplan Target date: Lead Member Built by BDP (TGT consultants). The draft is due to be submitted that sets out the key Environment principles, quality March 2021  to the team in December 2020 and will be presented to development and (evolution of Director of Garden Council as a supporting document of the JCS Review. infrastructure masterplan) Communities Linked to Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan performance requirements. tracker. (Garden communities- Rebuild- action b).

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

A planning application for the bridge was submitted in d) Deliver the first phase Target date: Contract Lead Member Built September 2020- planning reference 20/00896/FUL. If the of the ‘bridge project’, award March 2021 Environment application is successful at Planning Committee, a in line with the funding  Completion March Director of Garden construction partner will be commissioned in Spring 2021, requirements. 2022 Communities with the aim of project completion in March 2022.

PRIORITY: GARDEN COMMUNITIES

Responsible Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date

Objective 2. Delivery of Cyber Central Garden Community. The SPD, now known as the Golden Valley Development a) Produce a Target date: Summer Lead Member Built SPD, was adopted by Tewkesbury Borough Council on 28 Supplementary 2020 Environment  July 2020. Planning Document Director of Garden (SPD) for West Communities Cheltenham Cyber 84 Park in collaboration with Cheltenham Borough Council. Work underway in collaboration with Cheltenham Borough Target date: Lead Member Built b) Prepare a land Council and Homes England to identify key land holdings for Environment assembly programme March 2021 potential acquisition. to aid in the delivery of Director of Garden  the Garden Village Communities Linked to Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan- Garden Communities, refocus- action a.

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

PRIORITY: SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT

Responsible Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date

Objective 1. Deliver the climate emergency action plan Whilst the review of the parking strategy is currently on hold, a) Review and update Target date: March All Heads of Services the recent request to council for funding to support the our plans in relation to 2021 Lead Member for purchase of new parking machines, highlighted the intention environmental Clean and Green to utilise solar power to run the machines and improving the sustainability and Environment councils carbon position. carbon management, taking account of the latest evidence and No relevant policies yet to come forward. national policy. The impact of the pandemic has seen business travel b) Seek to reduce waste Target date: July 2021 Head of Finance and reduce dramatically with mileage claims reducing by 53% and emissions across Asset Management on the same period last year and a reduction in the pool 85 our own estate, assets Lead Member for fleet of 50%. Electricity consumption has also reduced and activities, and use Finance and Asset significantly, although this will be offset by personal natural resources  Management consumption during the period. more efficiently. An application is currently being made to the Decarbonisation fund for grant funding towards the replacement of the offices heating system and the provision of additional solar panels. Discussions are underway reviewing and implementing c) Work with Target date: March Head of Gloucestershire 2021 Development cycle pathways and other measures with Gloucester County

County Council and Services Council to increase the options of walking and cycling. other partners to help Deferred Lead Member for local residents and for six Clean and Green businesses take months Environment action to reduce their own carbon footprint, and to make better use of resources.

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

PRIORITY: SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT

Responsible Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date

Objective 2. Promote a healthy and flourishing environment in the borough. The adopted JCS already contains strategic policies around a) Establish planning Target date: Head of sustainability and health. policies to ensure the Development March 2021 (ongoing delivery of healthy and Services as action is across a sustainable The emerging Tewkesbury Borough Plan is proposing number of plans) Lead Member for communities.  further detailed policies around environmental quality, green Built Environment infrastructure and biodiversity and sustainable transport to help to deliver healthy and sustainable communities. The Borough Plan has been submitted for examination which is expected to take place early 2021.

The JCS review will reconsider existing strategic policies

86 around health and sustainability as well as whether any additional policy guidance would be appropriate. A maintenance plan for the Grangefield, Bishop’s Cleeve, is b) Improve bio-diversity Target date: Head of in production. This will be in line with the European Regional across the borough Development March 2023 Deferred Development Fund (ERDF) funding criteria to enhance and educate Services for six biodiversity. In addition, interpretation boards will be communities on its Lead Member for months produced in 2021 to help educate the community. benefits. Community Officers have been continuing to assist the community c) Work with volunteers Target date: Head of across the borough, Development through the pandemic, proving support to residents through March 2021 and help communities Services  the: to maintain our Lead Member for “place”. 1. Community Help Hub Community 2. Contacting the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable

The team continues to work closely with the Voluntary and Community Sector to provide support to residents in need through the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, the team is

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

assisting new community groups who wish to formalise themselves, as well as help them in the recovery phase. PRIORITY: SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT

Responsible Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date

Objective 3. Promote responsible recycling across the borough. The number of complaints arising relating to noise, fly a) Take a robust Target date: March Head of Community tipping and bonfires has continued to increase as a result of approach towards fly- 2021 Services Covid-19 and more people working from home. The impact tipping and other  Lead Member for of Covid-19 legislation on the team has meant some delays enviro-crimes. Clean and Green in resolving these issues as priorities were redirected and Environment this is ongoing. The reduction in nuisance from dog fouling and littering remains, however the number of abandoned vehicles has increased.

87 There has recently been a recycling campaign run by GCC Target date: June Head of Community 2021 Services on behalf of all the Gloucestershire Councils focussed on  improving recycling. This was by way of a leaflet drop to Lead Member for every household and considerable social media follow up. Clean and Green Environment It included 10 Facebook posts & 11 Tweets over 9 days b) Working with resulting in: Gloucestershire Facebook totals: Reached: 23,881 people, shared: 51 Waste and Resources times, clicks: 55 Partnership to Twitter totals: Reached: 244,504, shared: 22, clicks: 32 encourage recycling

and reduce plastic A further seasonal campaign is due to start 1 December- 8 waste. January focussing on “Love food, hate waste”.

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

PRIORITY: SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT

Responsible Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date

Objective 4. Preserve and enhance the natural assets and built heritage of our borough. Work is ongoing in supporting the work of the Local Nature a) Work with the local Target date: March Head of Partnership by establishing the natural capital asset nature partnership on 2021 (ongoing Development mapping. Natural capital assets are those elements of the natural capital project) Services  nature that directly or indirectly produce value to people. asset mapping. Lead Member for Mapping these assets will help inform future decision Built Environment making on investment and land use to protect, enhance and utilise this natural capital.

The mapping project is now 99% complete, and the maps are available to view online via https://naturalcapital.gcerdata.com/ or via

88 www.gloucestershirenature.org.uk. The maps are already being used to guide green infrastructure investment by the Environment Agency, and to assess LEP Growth Fund projects. A final draft Heritage Strategy has been developed in b) Publish the heritage Target date: Head of consultation with Historic England. strategy to set out the Development March 2021 actions to protect our Services  built environment. The next step will be for officers to determine the Lead Member for appropriate route for approval. This is on track to meet the Built Environment target date of March 2021 Key performance indicators for priority: SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT KPI KPI description Outturn Target Outturn Outturn Outturn Outturn Directio Traffic Comment Portfolio no. 2019-20 2020- Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 n of light Lead / 21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 2020-21 travel icon Head of service Enviro crime figures for Q2 Lead Number of (figures in brackets comparable Member ↓  Clean and 32 reported enviro 1,271 1000 419 for 2019/20) Green • fly tips- 213 (147) Environment/ crimes • Littering - 4 (3) Head of

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

• dog fouling- 7 (8) Community Services • abandoned vehicles- 66 508 (56) (Q1 & • noise- 127 (91) Q2 = • Bonfire – 47 (36) 927) Complaints continued to increase overall as a result of more people working from home due to Covid-19 especially noise, flytipping and bonfires Recycling and residual waste Lead collections have been Member Clean and significantly impacted by the Green Covid-19 pandemic during Q1 Environment/ and 2. All waste streams Head of collected from households Community increased significantly as Services householders were told to remain at home and not go to

89 work or school. There has been an increase in the amount of contamination in the blue bins. Both the increase in residual Percentage of ↑  waste and increase in 33 waste recycled or 51.47% 52% 49.22% contamination, fly tipping and composted. 51.54% other enviro problems has been

seen across the country. The instances of fly tipping and amount of residual waste has

been significant. Which in turn impacts the performance as the % recycled or composted is a percent of all waste collected. The Increase in MRF contamination is having a negative impact on performance as the material sent from the facility for disposal reduces the % classed as recycling.

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Appendix 1 - Council Plan Performance Tracker and Key Performance Indicators 2020-21 Progress Report

In line with the comments above Lead as the impact of Covid-19 has Member Clean and 114KG had a detrimental effect on the Green Residual waste sent for disposal which in Environment/ (Q1 & household waste ↓  turn impacts the % of waste Head of 34 117kg Q2 = collected per 414KG 430kg collected sent for recycling or Community 263KG) Services property in kgs. composting. The amount sent for energy from waste disposal per household remained high again for Q2

90

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Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

Corporate Covid-19 Recovery Plan tracker actions:  Action progressing well/ on or above target  Action has some issues/delay but not significant slippage/ below target but likely to achieve end of year target  Significant risk to not achieving the action or there has been significant slippage in the timetable, or performance is below target/ significantly below target and unlikely to achieve target Project has not yet commenced/ date not available or required to report  Tracker action is complete or annual target achieved

PRIORITY: FINANCE AND RESOURCES

Responsible Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date 91 Refocus All required and agreed health and safety signage and a) Continue to work with Target date: Head of Finance & Asset  systems now installed on our High Streets. Further partners to ensure August 2020 Management signage and hand sanitisers have now been agreed to be adequate measures are Lead Member for Finance installed. in place on our high and Asset Management streets to enable social distancing. Monthly monitoring and reporting, including detailed b) Monitor the financial Target date: Head of Finance & Asset  impacts of Covid-19. March 2021 Management financial returns to MHCLG, is in place and will likely continue for the rest of the financial year. Lead Member for Finance and Asset Management A new six monthly internal audit plan was approved by c) Produce a new six- Target date: Head of Corporate  Audit and Governance Committee on 24 September. This monthly internal audit October 2020 Services was based on one full time equivalent officer delivering plan and review the the plan rather than two, as one officer remains deployed whole suite of internal on business grants. Since the plan was approved, other Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 1

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

audit recommendations Lead Member for additional business grants have come on-line. The audit to determine if Corporate Governance function remains deployed within the business cell as recommendations well as overseeing GDPR activities. remain relevant and timescales for The suite of audit recommendations have been reviewed implementation remain with proposed new implementations dates. This was feasible. undertaken prior to the current lockdown so will need to be reviewed again. This will not be undertaken until resource becomes available to follow up these recommendations. PRIORITY: FINANCE AND RESOURCES

Responsible Progress Actions Target date Comment

92 Officer/Group to date

Recover

a) Agree and monitor the Target date: Head of Finance & Asset Weekly meetings take place with Places Leisure. Tewkesbury Leisure September Management Partnerships also established with Wyre Forest, across Centre recovery plan in 2021 the South West Councils and with other Places Leisure Lead Member for Finance partnership with Places contractors. Positive feedback from leisure centre and Asset Management Leisure. members about using the facilities.  The Leisure Centre reopened on 2 November 2020, following the second lockdown. A £100m support fund for leisure centres was announced by the Government in October and the application process has just been published.

b) Ensure adequate Target date: Head of Finance & Asset The offices have been laid out in line with government measures are in place March 2021 Management  guidance for safe operation and to ensure social and government distancing. The layout allows for 40 staff to be present in guidance is adhered to the offices each day. The position will be continually

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 2

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

for those staff that need Lead Member for Finance monitored, and changes made to the operation as and to return to the Public and Asset Management when guidance dictates. Services Centre offices,

whilst exploring the future demand for space in light of new ways of working.

c) Produce a revised 2020/ Target date: Head of Finance & Asset Following consideration of all issues relevant to 2021 budget. No longer Management producing a revised budget, it was agreed that the required No longer council’s needs would be better served by maintaining Lead Member for Finance required the original budget. and Asset Management

93 PRIORITY: FINANCE AND RESOURCES

Responsible Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date Rebuild The first draft of the new MTFS is underway. Transform a) Revise the Medium- Target date: Head of Finance & Asset Working Group will be consulted on the draft before it is Term Financial Strategy January 2021 Management released to the wider membership and progresses (MTFS) in light of Lead Member for Finance through the committee cycle. The MTFS will need to be additional financial and Asset Management based on a series of assumptions regarding funding as a pressures arising from result of the lack of information provided by central Covid-19.  Government.

The ‘production of an MTFS’ action can also be found within the Council Plan performance tracker. (Finance and resources- objective 2- action a).

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 3

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

b) Maximise the use of Target date: Head of Corporate Recruitment of a new Business Intelligence Officer will business intelligence Services take place in the New Year. A cross service project plan 31 March 2021 within the council to will need to be developed so business intelligence is Lead Member for Finance ensure the accuracy of shared by relevant services moving forward. and Asset Management the rating list.

Reminders continue to be sent out on a monthly basis as c) Work with businesses Target date: Head of Corporate per the recovery timetable. The magistrates’ court and residents and seek Services March 2021 remains closed for council tax and business rates liability to rebuild council tax Lead Member for Finance  orders hearings, so we remain unable to take formal and business rate and Asset Management recovery action through issuing summonses for non- collection rates. payment.

The team is continuing to engage with residents and 94 businesses to identify the reasons for non-payment and signposting to further support and assistance if required.

PRIORITY: ECONOMIC GROWTH

Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date

Refocus The priorities within the strategy will need to reflect the a) Review the Economic Target date: Head of Development Development and Services changing needs of businesses resulting from Covid-19. June 2021 Tourism Strategy to Lead Member for identify any actions June 2022 In consultation with the lead member, due to the uncertain Economic required to respond to  business climate, it was agreed that a new strategy will be (revised date Development/ developed for 2022, and the current strategy will continue Covid-19. reported to Promotion O&S until then. This was reported to Overview and Scrutiny committee in Committee in November 2020.

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 4

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

November Delivery of ‘the next year of the Economic Development and 2020) Tourism Strategy’ action can be found within the Council Plan performance tracker. (Economic Growth- objective 1- action a).

This economic assessment will help to inform the new b) Undertake an economic Target date: Head of Development impact assessment and Services Economic Development and Tourism Strategy. May 2021 analysis to understand  Lead Member for the needs of local Subject to funding, this assessment will be commissioned Economic businesses. once the long-term impact on the business community is Development/ clearer. Promotion

PRIORITY: ECONOMIC GROWTH 95

Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date

Refocus The council has been working with Cotswold Tourism on c) Work with our partners Target date: Head of Development at Cotswold Tourism to Services promotional messages and marketing, including: March 2021 understand when and • Social media Lead Member for how to safely encourage • Website Economic visitors back to the • Campaign work Development/  borough. Promotion • Interactive workshops

The focus has been particularly on the domestic market.

In addition, meetings are being held with stakeholders across Gloucestershire jointly promoting the county,

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 5

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

including developing ideas with newly formed Visit Gloucestershire.

Visit Britain will be focussing on Tewkesbury in their next publication.

This action is also linked to with the Council Plan performance tracker. (Economic Growth- objective 4- action a).

Environmental Health (EH) has continued to support d) Work closely with Target date: Head of Community businesses throughout the reopening of High Streets partners, businesses March 2021 Services

96 following various changes to requirements. EH has also and groups to enable Lead Member for Clean worked alongside the Gloucestershire Public Health Hub to the safe and successful and Green Environment develop and implement Covid-19 prevention plans and react reopening of high to local outbreaks. streets and retail

centres. In Tewkesbury numbers of cases remained below the national average and within Gloucestershire. In September a Covid Compliance Officer was recruited after all districts  secured funding from Public Health. Most business in Tewkesbury remained compliant with covid measures however, three fixed penalty notices were issued together with an Improvement Notice under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Further and continuing changes to legislation and guidance means that this area of work is ongoing and will be for some time.

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 6

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

PRIORITY: ECONOMIC GROWTH Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date Recover

a) Work with our partners Target date: Head of Development Delivering tailored covid-19 business support interactions to engage with Services and online events through Tewkesbury Growth Hub. July 2021 businesses to create Lead Member for 20 online webinar workshops and 1-2-1 sessions were tailored business Economic delivered in quarter 1 and 21 in quarter 2. Events included support solutions Development/ support with online marketing, video development, social through Tewkesbury Promotion media, goal setting and Covid-19 support plan development. Growth Hub, as a single point of contact to 47 Covid-19 specific Growth Plans were developed with local 97 support business businesses in Quarter 1 – providing support and advice of recovery- helping  funding opportunities, support packages and resilience. businesses to recover, The team also proactively contacted over 1,000 businesses innovate and thrive. to offer advice and support and promote the Government grant opportunities available. In quarter 2 the Growth Hub Network promoted the SME Recovery Grant and Kickstart Tourism Grant. Government Grant Schemes which the Growth Hub is delivering. This action is also linked to with the Council Plan performance tracker. (Economic Growth- objective 1- action b).

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 7

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

PRIORITY: ECONOMIC GROWTH

Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date

Recover

b) Deliver sector specific Target date: Head of Development As part of a Growth Hub Network and GFirst LEP project - advice and events, Services specialist advisors have now been employed across priority July 2021 helping support local and growth areas, which will help provide support to local Lead Member for supply chains. supply chains. Specialist advice includes the following areas: Economic Development/ • Digital transformation Promotion • 98 Low carbon / renewable energy sector • Change Management and transition, including Covid  19 recovery • Advanced manufacturing The support can be accessed through each growth hub and the specialist advisors have now been appointed and are starting to engage with businesses. The first sector-specific campaign has been underway- (Destination Growth – Rebuilding the Tourism sector in the county). This has included online training for businesses.

c) Work with partners to Target date: Head of Development Initial discussions have been held with DWP regarding support employment Services offering a Youth Hub service within the Growth Hub to provide

and skills initiatives advice and information for young people, particularly Lead Member for targeted at those July 2021  focussing on young people impacted by Covid-19. Likely to Economic affected by be a virtual service to start with. Development/ unemployment. Promotion Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 8

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

Initial discussions with Growth Hub Network and GFirst LEP, exploring the potential of a Youth Enterprise Hub and the employment of an Apprentice in each hub location, linking in with the Kickstart Campaign. Promotion of the Kickstart Campaign to local businesses. Promotion of support and webinars delivered through the National Careers Service to help job seekers.

PRIORITY: ECONOMIC GROWTH

Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date

99 Rebuild

a) Launch grant and Target date: Head of Development Commence a review of the council’s Small Business Grant support packages Services Scheme to develop the scheme to best support businesses December focused on innovation in line with the impacts of Covid-19 and promote innovation 2020 Lead Member for and growth, linking and growth. Economic grants and Growth Hub March 2021 Development/ Delivery and promotion of the Government’s Small and advice. Promotion  Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) Recovery and Kick-starting Tourism Package Grant Schemes, (administered through the Gloucestershire Growth Hub Network). The target date has been amended to reflect the changes in government guidance and support packages. Delivery of Reopening High Street Safely Fund project work. b) Support the Target date: Head of Development Grant action plan in development with key themes focussing revitalisation of the High Services March 2024 on: Streets and retail

centres across the  1. Communications and public information activity to Lead Member for borough, including ensure that reopening of local economies can be delivery of the Economic managed successfully and safely Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 9

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

Tewkesbury Heritage Development/ 2. Business-facing awareness raising activities to Action Zone Promotion ensure that reopening of local economies can be programme, to help managed successfully and safely

drive economic 3. Temporary public realm changes to ensure that recovery. reopening of local economies can be managed successfully and safely Work completed includes: • Promotion and marketing contract with V8 – promotional material produced • Sanitiser and stickers in town centres • Accessibility audits in progress 100 c) Work with partners to Target date: Head of Development Successful funding allocation from Reopening High Street identify funding Services December Safely Fund to support Tewkesbury, Bishop’s Cleeve and opportunities and  Lead Member for Winchcombe centres support key 2022 Economic infrastructure projects. Development/ Promotion

d) Promote Tewkesbury Target date: Head of Development Working with the Countywide Inward Investment Project Borough as an excellent Services Team to promote investment opportunities within the borough July 2021 location for business and fielding enquiries. Working with Department for Lead Member for and investment. International Trade (DIT) to help promote the trade and Economic investment in the Western Gateway partnership Development/  (Gloucestershire, West of England, Swindon & Wiltshire and Promotion South Wales). DIT employing two specialists in advanced manufacturing and tech/cyber security to support inward investment.

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 10

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

PRIORITY: HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES

Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date Refocus

a) Refocus the council’s Target date: Head of Development The place approach will be simplified to reflect some of the Place Approach to Services key priorities arising through the community from Covid-19. January 2021 reflect the issues within Principles around how we can work best with our Deferred our communities arising for six communities will be developed for approval. from Covid-19. Lead Member for months Community

101 The Housing Advice Team is still maintaining an active part b) Assess the additional Target date: Head of Community of the county response to rough sleepers. The initial demand on those using Services Initial assessment has been completed and has shown that there the housing service, assessment Lead Member for was an increase in numbers of housing advice cases taking into consideration October 2020 Housing presenting but still within the usual range from recent years. the county wide rough The number of temporary accommodation placements sleeper initiative. decreased slightly.

The focus on rough sleepers has led to weekly meetings  between county operational housing managers, the county homelessness coordinator and homeless outreach representatives to enable a swift response and deliver suitable outcomes.

New Temporary Accommodation (TA) placements Q1 = 26 Q2 = 21. New approaches for homelessness assistance Q1 = 135, Q2 = 178.

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 11

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

TA placements have reduced slightly from Q1 to Q2 despite an increase in homeless approaches. This shows that the Housing Advice Team is working well to prevent or relieve homelessness in most cases without the need for TA.

While the numbers of rough sleepers identified have remained low (usually 0-2) in Tewkesbury Borough, there is a level of ‘hidden homelessness’ of households in insecure accommodation.

c) Work with landlords and Target date: Head of Community To gain an understanding of ‘pent up’ homelessness, contact tenants to assess the First stage Services was made with all households on the housing register and potential demand once December separate posts made through social media outlets to target Lead Member for 102 restrictions are lifted. 2020 tenants. Housing To be  Due to the end of the ban on evictions and the second repeated lockdown, the initial survey continued until the end of

ending November with the results being analysed currently with 300 February 2021 applicants recorded as completing the survey. The survey will be repeated to try and identify any trends within the demand.

PRIORITY: HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES

Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date

Recover Initial work and support is being provided to several a) Support our Target date: Head of Development  community groups, which were set up to support their communities to become Services December communities through the pandemic, but now wish to continue more resilient and 2021 Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 12

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

harness community Lead Member for providing community support. Support provided includes spirit. Community governance, future direction and volunteering.

On a county basis, redundant laptops are being re-configured for community groups in need of IT equipment.

Emergency community grants continue to be awarded. 90 (Q2 52) have been successful, so far.

This work has continued throughout quarter two and will be b) Respond to localised Target date: Head of Community required for the next 12 months at least. Joint working outbreaks of Covid-19 August 2021 Services between all districts and Public Health has been key to quickly and effectively Lead Member for Clean reducing the risk of local outbreaks. Events have proved and in conjunction with and Green Environment challenging; however, successful resolution prevented a 103 the Gloucestershire major music festival from taking place. Other events have County Council’s Local  been managed successfully with organisers complying with Outbreak Management covid-secure guidance and has not resulted in the need to Plan. apply Direction Orders. Outbreaks within Tewkesbury have not occurred to the extent in other district due to the high degree of covid-secure compliance, which has helped keep numbers low.

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 13

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

PRIORITY: HOUSING AND COMMUNITIES

Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date

Rebuild Target date: a) Recognise and harness Head of Development The council continues to support the VCS sector. The

our relationship with Services December council has been distributing emergency community grants. Voluntary and 2021 The criteria has been adapted again to take into account the Community Sector changing needs of the VCS over the course of the (VCS) to support the Lead Member for pandemic. building of resilient Community communities.  Supporting the VCS has been identified as a key issue 104 within the County Community Resilience Recovery Plan.

The council’s community funding officer has been supporting the VCS to find external funding to support their communities. Volunteers have been sent a list of volunteering opportunities to access.

b) Build on the Local Target date: Head of Community The new five-year term Housing Strategy was due to be Housing Needs Services 6 April 2021 renewed this year but has been deferred due to the resources Assessment and start Lead Member for required to respond to Covid-19. This will now be produced developing the Housing ready for Spring 2022. Tewkesbury Borough  Housing Strategy for In the meantime, an interim version of the current strategy will 2021 onwards. be refreshed to cover 2021-2022, this will include updates to any legislation changes.

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 14

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

c) Consider future working Target date: Head of Development Work has not yet commenced. arrangements within To be Services new communities to confirmed

ensure there are adequate local Lead Member for businesses and self- Community employment hubs.

PRIORITY: CUSTOMER FIRST Reporting Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date Refocus 105 Target date: a) Review the Head of Community All officers are working successfully remotely. The service December effectiveness and Services has been severely impacted due to the additional 2020 efficiency of the responsibilities under covid-19 and will continue to be so for New revised Lead Member for Clean Environmental Health the next 12 months. date: April and Green Environment Service, including an 2021 There is a backlog of business-as-usual work required to be assessment of  completed by April 2021. This includes food inspections and additional demand and additional resources were recruited to help us to meet targets available resources. (New target date for the financial year.

reported to An additional temporary EHO has been recruited who is O&S delivering the private sector housing function including Committee reviewing policies and procedures to increase efficiency and in January competency across the service.

2021) Our Licensing team has suffered from long-term sickness which is ongoing and additional resources have been sourced. Community Safety has been incorporated within the team and is working well.

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 15

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

Due to the team responding to the second lockdown and multiple changes in covid legislation and guidance, the target date has been amended to allow further work to be carried out within the review. A new strategy will be presented to Overview and Scrutiny b) Develop a new Target date: Head of Corporate Committee in January 2021, accompanied by an action plan customer care strategy. Services January 2021 and a set of refreshed Customer Care Standards. Lead Member for  The target date is the date set in the work programme of the Customer Focus O&S committee to consider the strategy.

PRIORITY: CUSTOMER FIRST

Progress 106 Actions Target date Reporting Line Comment to date

Recover In addition to previous updates around using Facebook and a) Explore options for Target date: Head of our new text messaging function we have sought to alternative ways for Community March 2021 understand how customers want to access our service. customer engagement Services

e.g. housing applicants. Lead Member Working with the Business Transformation Team, we have for Housing begun to analyse phone traffic and the use of our website pages. We will change the website structure for our pages  to enable the customer to serve themselves more easily and introduce a ‘Contact us’ form as an option.

This action is also linked to with the Council Plan performance tracker. (Customer first- objective 1- action a).

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 16

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

Tourist Information Centres – remain closed. Re-opening b) Support the safe re- Target date: Head of Tewkesbury TIC is currently being reviewed. Winchcombe opening of buildings that Corporate (dependent upon TIC is reliant on Winchcombe Library (where it is hosted) re- provide a council Services/Head government guidance) opening fully. service. of Development Advice and Information Centres (AIC) - all four AIC remain Lead Member Deferred closed. Recent discussions with the four centres have for Customer confirmed that there has been very little demand for council Focus services since being closed. The Public Services Centre remains closed to the public.

c) Set up the new Target date: Head of The team is set up and running with several projects Business Corporate identified, including the implementation of a new digital September 2020 Transformation Team Services platform, a corporate website review, an end-to-end review 107 and shape the year one  of our bulky waste service and introducing paperless billing. Lead Member priorities. Updates on the work of team are reported to the Transform for Commercial Working Group. Transformation This action is linked within the Council Plan performance tracker. (Customer first- objective 1- action e). PRIORITY: CUSTOMER FIRST

Progress Actions Target date Reporting Line Comment to date

Rebuild

a) Review the corporate Target date: Head of Following engagement with the ICT manager, the website and Covid-19 Corporate transformation team is currently focusing efforts on March 2021 microsite. Services evaluating the benefits of moving to an alternative platform  provider – one which will offer similar value for money but Lead Member will allow more flexibility to work with the council’s new for Customer digital platform. Focus

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 17

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

Once the required supporting work has been carried out on the preferred option – including a risk register and data protection impact assessment – the final proposal will be presented to Programme Board in January.

b) Re-instigate and deliver Target date: Head of The Business Transformation Team is making good the council tax and Corporate progress on the paperless billing project, which will see it

business rates Services  being provided through the new digital platform. The new paperless project. February 2021 system is on track to be ready for the 2021 billing run. Lead Member for Finance and Asset Management

108 c) For the benefit of Target date: Head of The Agile Working Policy has been consulted on by customers, exploit the December 2020 Corporate management and unions and was approved then published opportunities provided Services  on 26 November 2020 through agile working. Lead Member for Organisational Development

d) Review communications Target date: Head of The Communications Strategy has been reviewed and a strategy in light of new Corporate supporting action plan produced. This will be presented at January 2021 ways of working and Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee in January. Communication remote meetings both internally and externally have been at the forefront of Lead Member technologies. the council’s response and recovery, and has been adapted for Customer accordingly to include things such as the Covid-19 Focus  microsite, virtual staff briefings now provided on a monthly basis, continuing to produce Tewkesbury Borough News, and increased social media. This action is linked within the Council Plan performance tracker. (Customer first- objective 1- action d).

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 18

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

PRIORITY: GARDEN COMMUNITIES

Progress Actions Target date Reporting Line Comment to date

Refocus Working closely with Cheltenham Borough Council and a) Work with partners at Target date: Director of Homes England regarding the J10 Housing Infrastructure Cheltenham to speed up Garden March 2021 Fund (HIF) delivery as well as land assembly opportunities delivery of the garden Communities and the possible relocation of the Hayden Sewerage village site. Lead Member treatment works. for Built  109 Environment A regular board meeting has been set up to have a platform to work with partners.

This action is linked within the Council Plan performance tracker. (Garden Communities- objective 2- action b).

Continue to work with LEP and Cheltenham Borough b) Explore opportunities to Target date: Director of Council as the Cyber Central project develops. Current enhance new digital Garden March 2021 activity includes the formation of a Cyber Leadership Board jobs and training with Communities and a Cyber Festival planned for next year, both to be led the Local Enterprise Lead Member by the LEP currently. Partnership (LEP) and for Built partners at Cyber Environment Central. 

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 19

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

PRIORITY: GARDEN COMMUNITIES

Progress Actions Target date Reporting Line Comment to date

Recover A bid for further capacity funding to support the a) Seek further Target date: Director of government funding with Garden development of the early stages of the Garden Town December 2020 our partners to support Communities programme is under preparation and due to be submitted to sustained delivery of the  Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Lead Member garden community (MHCLG) in September. A decision is due in December. for Built programmes.

110 Environment

Discussions continue on many aspects of the programme to b) Actively seek capital Target date: Director of identify potential external funding opportunities/income funding with our Garden March 2021 streams, including direct grant aid, land purchase options, partners to support the Communities utility services provision, as well as private programme.  Lead Member equity/investment avenues. for Built Environment

PRIORITY: GARDEN COMMUNITIES

Progress Actions Target date Reporting Line Comment to date

Rebuild All-ways Junction 10 a) Work with partners to Target date: March Director of seek resolutions to 2021 Garden  As part of the budget announcement, Gloucestershire infrastructure Communities County Council have been awarded £249m to deliver an all- (Junction 10) ways J10. This project consists of an all-ways motorway Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 20

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

requirements around Lead Member junction, link road to the West Cheltenham development site Junction 9 and Junction for Built and a park and ride interchange. 10. Environment Public consultation has taken place and finished on 25 November 2020. Post public consultation, further detailed option analysis will be undertaken in order to support an announcement about the preferred scheme design and location in Spring 2021. Another public consultation exercise will then accompany the planning application which follows.

Additional project information can be found on the GCC website - https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/highways/major-

111 projects-list/m5-junction-10-improvements-scheme/

This action can also be found within the Council Plan performance tracker. (Economic Growth- objective 2- action b). J9 and A46 Offline Solution Target date: The council continues to be actively engaged in both the October 2021 A46 Partnership and Midlands Connect to promote the (J9 and A46) development opportunities at the Garden Town. A first stage bid for major investment to support the delivery of an off-line J9/A46 solution has now been submitted to the Department for Transport and work continues on finalising the next stage  business case. Gloucestershire County Council continue with the project with submission date to the Department of Transport of September 2021.

This action can also be found within the Council Plan performance tracker. (Economic Growth- objective 2- action b). Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 21

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

PRIORITY: GARDEN COMMUNITIES

Progress Actions Target date Reporting Line Comment to date

Rebuild To meet the principles of the garden community b) Work with partners to Target date: Director of developments sustainability is a core requirement. West maximise sustainable Garden March 2021 Cheltenham Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) is development and low Communities now adopted (Tewkesbury Borough Council adoption 28 carbon technologies as Lead Member July 2020), which promotes a number of sustainability part of the Garden for Built objectives and work continues on the evolution of the Communities

112 Environment Tewkesbury Garden Town masterplan to better define the programme.  principles of development and how key features of sustainability and low carbon can be fully integrated and actively promoted, from the outset.

This action is linked within the Council Plan performance tracker. (Garden Communities- objective 1- action c). PRIORITY: SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT

Responsible Progress to Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group date

Refocus With the majority of staff working from home then this will a) Exploit the opportunities Target date: Head of Corporate  naturally contribute to reducing cost and the carbon footprint of provided through agile March 2022 Services working to enhance or PSC activity e.g. reduced paper consumption, reduced travel, accelerate carbon heating and lighting etc. The impact will need to be determined through the capture of baseline data and monitoring procedures – a recommendation from the audit. Looking forward, the Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 22

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

reduction and climate Lead Member for advantages currently presented through agile working need to change initiatives. Organisational be sustained and become the ‘new norm’. Development Virtual workshops and one-to-one sessions are currently being b) Work with our businesses Target date: Head of  offered to businesses through the Tewkesbury Growth Hub. and communities to support March 2021 Development Workshops on ‘how to build an eco/green business’ took place cleaner and greener living Services on 21 October 2020 and a one-to-one session on 22 October and working. Lead Member for 2020. Community Further sessions are scheduled for the new year.

PRIORITY: SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT

Responsible Progress Actions Target date Comment

113 Officer/Group to date Recover Ubico crews are delivering to all properties a revised information Target date: Head of Community March 2021. Services sticker for blue bins as it has been recognised the current bins have been in place for up to 10 years and the information will be Lead Member for wearing off the older bins. This will ensure that at the point of Clean and Green a) Increase awareness in the  use, the bins will show information on what can and cannot be effects of recycling Environment recycled. Crews are carrying out additional checks and reporting contamination. the bins with contamination. These bins are being left with an information sticker to ensure they know why it's not been emptied.

This has been supported by a communications campaign for social media and within Tewkesbury Borough News. A new waste communications strategy is being created through b) Work with our communities Target date: Head of Community the newly reformed Gloucestershire Resource and Waste to minimise waste to October 2021 Services Partnership (GRWP). This will help the GRWP work closer with minimise the impact on our

environment. Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 23

Appendix 2- Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-21

Lead Member for communities and encourage waste minimisation and diversion  Clean and Green from disposal routes. Environment A communications fund has been set up to pay for the activities which will be identified in the communication strategy action plan. This work will build on the waste compositional analysis which has identified recyclable waste streams still in the residual bin. PRIORITY: SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT

Responsible Progress Actions Target date Comment Officer/Group to date

Rebuild 114 An application is currently being made to the Decarbonisation a) Support the deployment of the Target date: July Head of Finance and  fund for grant funding towards the replacement of the offices carbon reduction action plan. 2021 Asset Management heating system and the provision of additional solar panels. If Lead Member for successful, it is anticipated that installation will be completed by Finance and Asset September 2021. Management.

Procurement is progressing well, and the team are on target to Target date: April Head of Community  have a new contract agreed by the end of March 2021. b) Work on the Mixed Recycling 2021 Services Facility (MRF) contracted services procurement. Lead Member for Clean and Green Environment Through the Community Funding Officer, the council is providing c) Build on our communities’ Target date: Head of Development Deferred funding advice for community projects, including environmental connections with green space, Services for six walking and cycling to March 2022 and health initiatives. Through the development process there Lead Member for encourage healthy, months are health and community policies to encourage new Community sustainable living and communities to access facilities and green space that encourage appreciation of biodiversity. healthy, active lifestyles.

Covid-19 Corporate Recovery Plan Performance Tracker- 2020-2021 24

Appendix 3 - Quarter 2 budget report

Chief Executive Full Year Projected Savings / Budget Outturn (Deficit) £ £ £ Employees 260,900 206,665 54,235 1 Premises 0 0 0 Transport 0 0 0 Supplies & Services 8,160 3,860 4,300 Payments to Third Parties 0 0 0 COVID-19 Costs 0 0 0 Income 0 0 0 TOTAL 269,060 210,525 58,535

1) The saving on Employee costs is as a result of the Chief Executive taking flexible retirement.

Community Services Full Year Projected Savings / Budget Outturn (Deficit) £ £ £ Employees 1,329,424 1,388,273 (58,849) * 2 Premises 0 1,603 (1,603) Transport 900 0 900 Supplies & Services 151,319 143,768 7,551 Payments to Third Parties 5,136,738 5,267,239 (130,501) 3 COVID-19 Costs 0 389,127 (389,127) 4 Ringfenced Projects and Funding 0 (180,192) 180,192 5 Income (2,279,847) (2,222,652) (57,195) * 6 TOTAL 4,338,534 4,787,166 (448,632)

2) Employee costs are showing as overspent which is due to the pressures on the Environmental Health team during the COVID pandemic and the full time use of an interim Environment Health Manager to ensure continuation of services to the end of the financial year. 3) Payments to third parties are overspend due to the continuing issues with the MRF provider. Additional costs have been agreed to be paid through the contract to the end of the year in relation to the quality of our paper recycling. There is also an emerging issue where the contractor is rejecting any loads which contain contaminated material. This has been occurring since the beginning of October and on the basis of rejecting 2 loads per week this could cost the council an additional £100k during the second half of the financial year. Whilst there has been overspends reported on the Ubico contract of nearly £100k, these have been offset by one off gain where by pension contributions have not been required to be paid in the year. The pension saving had not been included in the 2020/21 budget when approved by members. 4) COVID 19 costs show the impact of additional work that is being required as a result of the pandemic, not related to normal service provision. These include the cost of implementing the national policy of placing all homeless people in accommodation, additional costs that Ubico incurred to comply with health and safety rules on social distancing, whilst delivering refuse services and also additional resources are required to deal with back log in work in environmental health, when resources were redeployed during lockdown. 5) Ringfenced projects and funding represents grants that have been received in the year but not yet spent. A large grant was received for homeless prevention initiatives. This is not a recurring budget item and if unspent at year end will be placed in a reserve. Whilst shown as a gain above, it is removed as part of corporate costs and therefore does not impact on the charge to Council Tax payers

6) The fall in income is mostly in relation to Trade Waste and Licencing. Due to the pandemic there was business closures, which meant that they did not need trade waste services or to renew licences. It is hoped that through the Central Government Fees and Charges scheme that we can recover around 70% of the lost income.

* Not included in the figures above is any risk or reward in relation to BREXIT, if the UK was to leave the EU without a trade agreement it would result in a requirement for exporting businesses to apply for licences. Whilst this would be chargeable to businesses, it would also require additional resources to manage the demand. Due to the ongoing negotiations over trade with the EU no financial impact has been calculated

Corporate Services Full Year Projected Savings / Budget Outturn (Deficit) £ £ £ Employees 2,025,153 1,953,027 72,126 7 Premises 0 0 0 Transport 0 0 0 Supplies & Services 557,089 624,169 (67,080) 8 Payments to Third Parties 127,574 84,488 43,086 9 Transfer Payments - Benefits Service 12,449,021 12,449,021 0 COVID-19 Costs 0 186,492 (186,492) 10 Income (12,969,223) (12,875,901) (93,322) 11 TOTAL 2,189,614 2,421,296 (231,682)

7) The majority of the savings relates to vacant posts within Revenues & Benefits. The overtime and backfill for this team is currently coded against COVID. This is expected to be £29k by March 2021. The digital team are currently making a saving of £16k, this is expected to be £36k by Year End. This saving will partly fund the Digital Platform, which is showing as an overspend in supplies and services. There is also a £10k saving on training as a result of COVID restrictions. Human Resources think this may change before year end with more teams opting to train online.

115 8) The IT department have purchased additional equipment this financial year that was not budgeted for. The estimated total overspend in IT equipment is £55k. The largest item being Epaton, who provide the offsite disaster recovery and business continuity component of our backup solution. This work is critical to reduce the cyber risk ransomware poses to the council and to allow the organisation to continue functioning in the event the building is lost e.g. fire, flood etc. There are savings in licenses and a reserve that will be used to offset this. The expected postage savings of Council tax bills is dependent on the implementation of the E-billing project being in place by January 2021. 9) The COVID situation has resulted in fewer departments having the resources to support an apprentice. Therefore, there is currently only one apprentice being funded from the youth training budget. The saving at March is likely to be at least £22k. Courts summons have stopped since the start of COVID and are unlikely to resume. This will give a budget saving of £12k. 10) The COVID costs that relate to Corporate are £78k on laptops, £68k on staff overtime or agency and £9k on licenses 11) Less has been recovered from Housing Benefit overpayments than expected. COVID has meant more new applications to process and therefore less time to review changes and chase debt. Also, courts have been closed resulting in no Council Tax Summons.

Democratic Services Full Year Projected Savings / Budget Outturn (Deficit) £ £ £ Employees 273,305 231,105 42,200 12 Premises 0 0 0 Transport 11,500 4,056 7,444 Supplies & Services 456,419 439,238 17,181 13 Payments to Third Parties 37,600 32,898 4,702 COVID-19 Costs 0 1,991 (1,991) Income (2,000) (13,285) 11,285 14 TOTAL 776,824 696,003 80,821

12) Savings identified from the vacant post held in establishment which is used to offset additional work that the team has to deliver during elections. In the current financial year there have been no elections that have had to be managed, the Police and Crime Commissioner election has been delayed for 12 months to May 2021. This saving may reduce during the second half of the year as the team are covering a member of staff on maternity leave and so may be claiming overtime. 13) Supplies and services are underspent due to having no civic functions during the year 14) Income is above budget due to a one off grant income on electoral registration

Deputy Chief Executive Full Year Projected Savings / Budget Outturn (Deficit) £ £ £ Employees 124,939 92,175 32,764 15 Premises 0 0 0 Transport 200 100 100 Supplies & Services 2,400 1,200 1,200 Payments to Third Parties 20,000 20,000 0 COVID-19 Costs 0 0 0 Income 0 0 0 TOTAL 147,539 113,475 34,064

14) The saving on employee costs is as a result of the Deputy Chief Executive leaving to take up new employment. The role is not going to be filled in the short term, pending a review by the Chief Executive of the senior management team.

116 Development Services Full Year Projected Savings / Budget Outturn (Deficit) £ £ £ Employees 2,079,092 1,980,952 98,140 16 Premises 45,356 44,289 1,067 Transport 0 826 (826) Supplies & Services 219,705 165,509 54,196 17 Payments to Third Parties 276,045 269,534 6,511 COVID-19 Costs 0 56,381 (56,381) 18 Projects Funded Externally 0 1,130,958 (1,130,958) 19 Income (1,572,605) (1,296,472) (276,133) 20 TOTAL 1,047,593 2,351,977 (1,304,384)

16) There are significant salary savings within Development resulting from vacant posts. Recruitment is still ongoing for these posts. Although, some agency staff have been employed, this has been minimised in order to prioritise the filling of vacant posts. Agency staff is expensive and could jeopardise to ability to employ permanent staff later in the financial year. The projected year end savings is currently £98k. However, there is an expected deficit expected within the PPA income budget, this includes agency staff. Therefore, these salary savings will offset the overall income budget deficit. 17) Savings made on goods for resale at the tourist information centres and growth hub expenditure. Both have been closed due to COVID. The year end saving is expected to be £54k. 18) The Council have committed to match the Gloucestershire County Council £50k contribution toward COVID Community Grants. 19) This expenditure relates to the Ashchurch Bridge Project and Garden Towns. There is external funding for these projects. This shown in corporate codes funding. 20) There is a budget deficit across all income streams within Development. Planning income is expected to be under budget by £276k, including planning fees, PPAs, land charges and street name & numbering. The Planning Manager is currently reviewing the applications likely to be submitted during the year which will give us a better indication of total income. The second largest income shortfall is at the TIC's. The reduction of income has however resulted in a small saving on supplies and services. For example, no stock purchased.

Finance and Asset Management Full Year Projected Savings / Budget Outturn (Deficit) £ £ £ Employees 2,584,888 2,550,119 34,769 21 Premises 569,065 541,075 27,990 22 Transport 55,870 5,806 50,064 23 Supplies & Services 501,036 507,431 (6,395) Payments to Third Parties 298,933 317,340 (18,407) 24 Precept 6,500 6,500 0 COVID-19 Costs 0 909,063 (909,063) 25 Income (1,387,516) (894,897) (492,619) 26 TOTAL 2,628,776 3,942,437 (1,313,661)

21) There are currently 2 vacant posts within the Property services team which is the main element of the savings of £25k being recorded for Finance and Asset Management

22) The saving on utility bills for the Council offices as a result of the majority of staff working from home, electricity being the major part with approx £20k expected to be saved by the end of this financial year.

23) The saving in the transport costs is a result of halving our fleet of cars due to home working arrangements and the majority of meetings and events happening online. We currenly have 3 fleet cars.

24) There is an adverse variance in payments to 3rd parties. This is mostly in relation to our car parks and the fact that we are now paying the Ringo charge instead of the app users bearing the cost. It costs us £0.08 every time someone makes a payment for parking using the Ringo app. 25) £474k is the estimated cost of supporting the operators of the leisure centre as a result of the change of law during the pandemic. £430k is the balance of funding that has been set aside, but not yet allocated, for recovery 26) Predicted annual loss of £248k of revenues from car parking, as charging was suspended during the lockdown period. The expected revenue of £160k from the Leisure Centre will also be lost this year due to COVID related closures and restrictions. In support of 2 businesses in the leisure sector that were also closed during lockdown, we have reduced rents due by £24k

One Legal Full Year Projected Savings / Budget Outturn (Deficit) £ £ £ Employees 1,951,713 1,584,697 367,016 27 Premises 0 0 0 Transport 18,160 8,330 9,830 Supplies & Services 95,686 85,728 9,958 Payments to Third Parties 10,460 12,500 (2,040) COVID-19 Costs 0 0 0 Income (1,757,648) (1,348,524) (409,124) 27 TOTAL 318,371 342,731 (24,360)

27) COVID-19 has impacted on the amount of third party work that One Legal has been able to do in Q1 & Q2 of the financial year. Clients have been focused on the repsonse to the pandemic, rather than projects requiring legal support. For this reason, Legal have not expanded establishment as planned,and as result the savings in salaries can be used to offset the shortfall in income.

117 Appendix 4 - Analysis of capital budget 2020/21

Q2 Budget Q2 Actual (Over) / Under % Slippage Comments Position Position spend £ £ £ Council Land & Buildings 0 0 0 0 No expenditure expected in Q2

Equipment 65,000 66,000 (1,000) (2) Payments in Q2 are in line with expectations.

Capital Investment Fund 10,565,000 10,566,809 (1,809) (0) Payments in Q2 are in line with expectations.

Community Grants 0 0 0 0 No expenditure expected in Q2

Housing & Business Grants 240,000 168,097 71,903 30 Not as many applications for DFG's as projected at the beginning of the year. For comparison, we spent £315,951 in the first 6

118 months of 2019/20 10,870,000 10,800,906 69,094 1 Appendix 5 - Revenue reserves for 2020/21

Balance Spent in Reserve Reserve Note Reserve 31st March 2020 Quarter 2 Remaining Service Reserves Asset Management Reserve 1,148,664 1,293 1,147,371 Borough Growth Reserve 1,270,166 1,270,166 Borough Regeneration Reserve 89,059 22,100 66,959 Business Rates Reserve 500,000 500,000 Business Support Reserve 125,317 2,970 122,348 Business Transformation Reserve 618,019 55,291 562,728 1 Community Support Reserve 99,317 99,317 Development Management Reserve 180,150 5,000 175,150

119 Development Policy Reserve 264,935 2,222 262,713 Elections Reserve 40,848 40,848 Flood Support and Protection Reserve 9,646 9,646 Health & Leisure development reserve 1,889 1,889 Housing & Homeless Reserve 608,594 175,647 432,947 2 Insurance Reserve 50,000 50,000 IT Reserve 110,195 10,376 99,819 Open Space & watercourse Reserve 876,182 18,187 857,995 Organisational Development Reserve 115,156 57,162 57,994 3 Risk Management Reserve 10,000 10,000 Waste & Recycling development Reserve 1,209,955 3,628 1,206,327

7,328,093 353,874 6,974,219

Notes 1 Funding of Digitisation team 2 Lead authority funding passed over to Forest of Dean DC 3 Payment of final essential user lump sum to staff as per savings plan Agenda Item 8 TEWKESBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL

Report to: Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Date of Meeting: 12 January 2021

Subject: Customer Care Strategy

Report of: Head of Corporate Services

Corporate Lead: Chief Executive

Lead Member: Lead Member for Customer Focus

Number of Appendices: Two

Executive Summary: In our Council Plan, we make the promise that we will put the needs of our customers at the heart of what we do and listen to what they say, treating people fairly and without bias. Our Customer Care Strategy is an important step to making this a reality. This Customer Care Strategy details how we plan to deliver our customer care and outlines the organisational commitments we will make to our customers. Our commitment throughout the strategy is to have a ‘can do’ attitude, and support our customers by going the extra mile for them. The strategy has an annual action plan which details how we will achieve this.

Recommendation: To consider the Customer Care Strategy and RECOMMEND TO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE that it be APPROVED.

Reasons for Recommendation: We want to provide the best possible service to all of our customers, particularly in terms of resolving queries at the first point of contact. We recognise how important first impressions are, and how vital it is to get things right from the start. Every time a customer contacts us, we must remember that the way they are treated, the standard of customer care they receive, and the quality of the outcome all influence their opinion of us.

Resource Implications: None other than Officer time to implement the action plan.

Legal Implications: None directly arising from this report.

Risk Management Implications: Without clear customer care standards, there is a risk to our reputation.

120 Performance Management Follow-up: Progress in delivering the action plan will be reported to Overview and Scrutiny Committee on an annual basis.

Environmental Implications: None directly arising from this report.

1.0 INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND

1.1 Our Council Plan highlights our value that we will always put our customers first. We make the promise that we will put the needs of our customers at the heart of what we do and listen to what they say - treating people fairly and without bias. Supporting our values we also have an ethos that whatever we do will be ‘better for customers, better for business’. This Customer Care Strategy is an important step to making these commitments a reality.

1.2 This strategy builds on our previous Customer Care Strategy and reinforces the Council’s values and ethos by setting out how we plan to deliver our customer care, and what organisational commitments we need to make to our customers to deliver our promises.

1.3 It is really important to recognise that customer care should be a Council-wide priority. While we have a dedicated customer services team, which acts as the front face of the Council for many visitors and callers, valuing customer care needs to be embedded in the culture for everyone who works for Tewkesbury Borough Council.

1.4 Over the past year, customer behaviour has changed significantly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Customers who used to visit our offices and our advice and information centres now reach us over the phone, online or in virtual meetings. The impact has been managed extremely well, with very little negative feedback and the current demand, particularly for our advice and information centres, remains low. Moving forward, we need to capture this success and ensure that we tailor our future customer care in a way that reflects this new way of working while also recognising that there will always be a need – when it is safe to do so – for face-to-face support too.

2.0 WHAT WILL OUR CUSTOMER CARE STRATEGY ACHIEVE?

2.1 To ensure we are fulfilling our promise to put our customers first, and put them at the heart of what we do, the Customer Care Strategy introduces six themes. These themes highlight what we as a Council need to focus on to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction.

2.2 We need to:  Introduce a refreshed set of customer service standards.  Make it easier, simpler and more convenient for customers to interact with us when requiring a service.  Use feedback from residents to help shape future service delivery.  Make sure our staff are equipped with the skills to deliver high quality customer service.

121  Promote channel shift - providing services in a way that is more convenient for customers and less expensive to deliver for the Council. By doing this, we will free up capacity to support customers who need the more traditional methods of communication.  Work with our partners in the Public Services Centre to ensure our customers experience a seamless and worthwhile experience when visiting the offices.

2.3 The strategy’s supporting action plan (which can be found at the end of the strategy) is shaped around these six themes, and pulls out specific ways in which we can improve our customer care moving forward.

3.0 CUSTOMER CARE STANDARDS

3.1 The strategy is also supported by a set of customer services standards which outline what our customers can expect from their experience with us.

3.2 The updated standards will be adopted and embraced across the Council, and will help us to continue being a truly customer-focused Council. The standards are split into the following categories:  What customers can expect from us generally, as well as when they:  Phone us.  Email us.  Send a letter.  Visit in person.  Make an enquiry online.  Make a formal complaint.

3.3 The standards are largely the same as our existing ones, although there are a number of additions/amendments and these have been underlined in the document at Appendix 2. The more significant changes include:  Encouraging staff to take ownership of the calls they answer so callers have a clear point of contact.  Reducing the number of days we are expected to respond to emails from 10 days to five days – to reflect best practice and meet customer expectation.  Including a section on catering for people with special needs, interpretation needs or learning difficulties.

4.0 ACTION PLAN 2021

4.1 To help us achieve the commitments we set out in this strategy, it is supported by an annual action plan – which can be found at the end of the strategy. The action plan is

focused around the strategy’s six themes and details how we will achieve our commitments to customer care.

4.2 Progress on this action plan will be reported each year to Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

5.0 CONSULTATION

5.1 Not applicable.

122 6.0 RELEVANT COUNCIL POLICIES/STRATEGIES

6.1 Council Plan 2020 to 2024. Digital Strategy. Communications Strategy.

7.0 RELEVANT GOVERNMENT POLICIES

7.1 None.

8.0 RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS (Human/Property)

8.1 Managed within current resources and budget.

9.0 SUSTAINABILITY IMPLICATIONS (Social/Community Safety/Cultural/ Economic/ Environment)

9.1 None.

10.0 IMPACT UPON (Value For Money/Equalities/E-Government/Human Rights/Health And Safety)

10.1 None.

11.0 RELATED DECISIONS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT FACTS

11.1 None.

Background Papers: None.

Contact Officer: Corporate Services Manager Tel: 01684 272291 Email: [email protected]

Appendices: 1. Customer Care Strategy. 2. Customer Care Standards.

123 Customer Care strategy

2020 Tewkesbury 124 Borough Council Customer Care Strategy Tewkesbury Borough Council

contents

Introduction 1

Who are our customers? 1

What are our customers telling us? 2

Low level of complaints 2

What do we need to do? 2

Customer experience 3

Customer services team 3

Our website 4

Delivery of customer care 4

Action plan 5

Customer Care Strategy 125 Tewkesbury Borough Council

Introduction Who are our customers?

Our Customer Care Strategy sets out how we plan Everyone who lives, works, learns, visits and does to deliver our customer care and outlines the business in Tewkesbury Borough is a potential organisational commitments we will make to our customer of Tewkesbury Borough Council. customers.

Our action plan (at appendix 1) shows where we We know that, according to the Mid 2019 want to be, and explains how we will monitor and Population Estimates, our population of 95,019 is report our progress in achieving these pledges. As made up of people aged: part of our commitment to customer care, we commit to delivering common customer care • 0 to 19 = 21,435 standards across the council. • 20 to 64 = 52,605 • 65 and over = 20,979 We want to provide the best possible service to all • 90 and over = 1,047 of our customers, particularly in terms of resolving queries at the first point of contact. We • 94 per cent of our population are white recognise how important first impressions are, British/Scottish/Northern Irish/English (Census and how vital it is to get things right from the 2011). start. • 16.5 per cent of population has a disability Every time a customer contacts us, we must which limits day-to-day activity (Census 2011). remember that the way they are treated, the standard of customer care they receive and the • Tewkesbury Borough is the fastest growing quality of the outcome all influence their opinion district outside of London (ONS 2019) and our of us. population is projected to rise significantly in the next 25 years. Given the changing nature of the way in which people interact with us, we sit within a constantly • There are more than 4290 companies with a evolving environment. We must be able to registered address in Tewkesbury Borough. respond to the transforming needs and circumstances of our customers, while recognising • Tewkesbury Borough attracts more than 1.9m customers who wish to contact us using visitors each year – bringing in £64m spend. traditional methods.

We must be able to recognise and embrace any We need to make sure that the council is able to new opportunities for our customers and support all our customers so that we can provide ourselves as they arise. an excellent customer experience, whatever their needs.

Customer Care Strategy 1261 Tewkesbury Borough Council

What are our customers telling us? 82% feel we keep them We want to provide the best possible service to all WELL INFORMED our customers. They are the best people to tell us:

• How we are doing. 73% of residents are • What we can do to improve a service. SATISFIED with how • What problems they have experienced – this we run things allows us, where appropriate, to apologise, put it right and stop it from happening again. 72% of residents agree we act on the CONCERNS As a council we have a suite of policies and of others strategies that provide really vital foundations for our customer care approach – including our Council Plan and our digital communications Low level of complaints strategies. But, in order for these strategies to be truly customer-focused, we need to establish a Our current complaints framework offers a digital clear understanding of our customers – what do end-to-end process to report and monitor our our customers want? How do they want to complaints. The framework is overseen by a interact with us? What are their needs? designated officer within the Corporate Services team and an annual review of complaints received Reflecting this, our latest Peer Challenge 2020 is undertaken by the Overview and Scrutiny recommends that we carry out a comprehensive Committee. and regular residents’ survey to understand how we can ensure we are meeting our customers’ The number of complaints we receive compared needs. to other local councils is well below average, which gives us an indication that residents are on In November 2019, we carried out a snapshot the whole satisfied with how we run things. We survey to find out what our residents think of us. recognise that it is important to have further This survey was published on our website, evidence of customer satisfaction alongside the through social media and to our Citizens’ Panel (a low level of complaints we receive and this is group of around 250 local residents who have reflected within our action plan at appendix 1. signed up to our scheme, which is aimed at getting feedback on local issues, emerging policies and strategies, and service changes). What do we need to do?

Our Council Plan highlights our value that we will always put our customers first. We make the promise that we will put the needs of our customers at the heart of what we do and listen

Customer Care Strategy 1272 Tewkesbury Borough Council

to what they say, treating people fairly and To help with this, we have developed a set of without bias. Supporting our values we also have customer care standards that support the an ethos that whatever we do will be ‘better for council’s values to create satisfied customers, customers, better for business’. both internally and externally.

To ensure we achieve this, we need to adopt the These standards cover all our contact approaches following themes: including online, email, telephone, letter, and face- to-face. Our standards will be made public, so that • Introduce a refreshed set of customer service our customers are aware of the commitments we standards. are making. • Make it easier, simpler and more convenient for customers to interact with us when Separate digital and communications strategies requiring a service. detail our online approach to ensuring services • Use feedback from residents to help shape are more convenient for customers and less future service delivery. expensive for us. Over time we expect this to • Make sure our staff are equipped with the significantly improve customer experience. skills to deliver high quality customer service. • Promote channel shift – providing services in a way that is more convenient for customers Customer services team and less expensive to deliver for the council. By doing this we will free up capacity to We also have a dedicated Customer Services support those customers who need the more team, consisting of one team leader and six traditional methods of communication. advisors. The team operates primarily as our front • Work with our partners in the Public Services of house – directing our customers to the correct Centre to ensure our customers experience a point of contact. The team also provides seamless and worthwhile experience when customer service at our Advice and Information visiting us. Centres across the borough, as well as being the main customer contact for Ubico. The action plan, attached at appendix 1, reflects these overarching themes. As well as being champions for customer service, the team also provides information and advice for each council service and provides access for Customer experience thousands of different contacts via telephone, online and face-to-facepoints. Everyone working for Tewkesbury Borough Council should be committed to making our customers’ experience a good one. We want to treat all of our customers fairly and make our services accessible to all.

Customer Care Strategy 1283 Tewkesbury Borough Council

Our year in numbers Delivery of customer care

We want to build upon our achievements in

delivering quality customer care, and make sure 36,000 that we support our staff in providing the best PHONE CALLS per year possible experience for our customers. 40,000 COUNCIL TAX £ and BENEFITS Our commitment throughout this strategy is to calls have a ‘can-do’ attitude and support customers by 9000 going the extra mile for them. This will be EMAIL ENQUIRIES per year achieved by providing the customer with an 25,000 efficient service, delivered by welcoming, ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE and knowledgeable and professional staff. RECYLCING calls

985 To help us achieve this commitment, this strategy VISITS to ADVICE is supported by an annual action plan, which and Information details how we will achieve our commitments to CENTRES per year 2018/19 12,000 customer care. Progress on the action plan, and PLANNING any new actions, will be reported each year to calls Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Our website 89 The website is our customers’ gateway to the ONLINE council – it is how most of our customers access FORMS us, and we take pride in making sure our site is

ahead of the game in terms of how easy it is to access, navigate and interact with. 358,517over Reflecting its importance, a website review is an UNIQUE action within the council’s Covid-19 recovery plan VISITORS to the web site and this will bring a number of improvements to our site, including the search function, introducing a recruitment micro-site, and making sure our content and pages are in line with the government’s accessibility standards. 1.13m PAGE VIEWS

Customer Care Strategy 1294 Customer Care Strategy action plan 2021

Customer Care action plan

Focus area New actions for 2021

Introduce a refreshed set of customer service standards. Develop a set of measurable customer services standards that reflect our commitment to customer care.

Consult with customers to understand if they are satisfied with our standards.

Monitor the performance of services in delivering the standards.

Make it easier, simpler and more convenient for customers to interact Carry out a full review of our Advice and Information Centres to ensure they are fit for purpose. with us when requiring a service. Review the customer services team structure to ensure it delivers excellent customer care.

Support the aim for increased first point of contact resolution in the planning admin team to 130 reduce customer frustration and improve satisfaction levels.

In line with the recommendation from the Peer Challenge, investigate Involve customers in the development of services. the option of running a meaningful residents' satisfaction survey Engage with our Citizens’ Panel when developing new online services.

Ensure annual customer services training is available to all staff. Make sure our staff are equipped with the skills to deliver high quality customer service. Ensure all CS advisors achieve NVQ level 3 in customer services.

Ensure the customer services team receive appropriate training on new digital systems. Promote channel shift and support those customers who need the more traditional methods of communication. Support customers to sign up to paperless billing.

Promote the online bulky waste service when customers phone us.

Tewkesbury Borough Council 5 Customer Care Strategy action plan 2021

Customer Care action plan

Focus area New actions for 2021

Ensure our reception service meets the needs of partners in the Public Ensure our front of house service meets the needs of all partners in the Public Services Centre. Services Centre. Engage with partners to understand if improvements can be made for customers visiting the Public Services Centre. 131

Tewkesbury Borough Council 6 Clare Evans Corporate Services Manager Tewkesbury Borough Council Tel: 01684 272291 email: [email protected]

Produced by Tewkesbury Borough Council. 2020 132 Our customer care standards

What customers can expect from us When you visit us in person

• We will provide accurate and clear information in • Our offices will be clean, safe, and accessible to all response to your enquiries. customers. • We will be polite, friendly, and helpful at all times. • Help will be available if you need advice on getting to the • Where we can’t help, we will provide the relevant right place. information or contact details of where you can go. • We will see you as quickly as possible - within five minutes • We will use plain English and will arrange for a translator of you arriving - but if there is a delay, we will keep you if required. updated and provide an explanation. • We will be open and honest about what we can or cannot • Pre-booked appointments will be met within five minutes deliver. of arrival. • If you need special help, we will try to make • Private space will be provided to discuss confidential arrangements that meet your needs. issues. • We aim to get it right first time, and where this isn’t • We will always do our best to cater for anyone with special possible, we will keep you updated as we look into your needs, interpretation needs or learning difficulties. Please enquiry. let us know what assistance might be needed when you book so we can ensure we have the appropriate facilities in place. When you phone us • We will regularly review information in our reception areas to ensure it is up to date. • Our aim is to answer your phone call as quickly as possible during our opening office hours, Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm and Friday 8.30am to 4pm. When you make an enquiry online • We will introduce ourselves on the call in a professional and courteous manner. • We will ensure information contained on our website is • The member of staff answering your call will take accurate and up-to-date, and we will use language ownership of it, so you always have a point of contact. accessible to all. • If we need to transfer your call, we will pass on your • You will receive a response to your enquiry within five details with your permission, so you don’t have to repeat working days. In most cases this will be a full response but yourself. if the issue will take longer to consider or resolve we will • We will keep our voicemail messages informative and up- tell you. to-date so you know when you will get a response, and • We are a digital-first council, and aim to make as many we will offer an alternative number if your call is urgent. services as possible available through our website. • If the employee is on leave, the voicemail message will inform you when he/she will return and will provide an alternative number for you to call. When you make a formal complaint • Any phone messages left will be responded to within two days of the officer returning to work. • All complaints are treated with respect and in confidence. • We will acknowledge your complaint within two working days. When you email us • We will provide a full response as soon as possible but within 20 working days – if it requires significant • We will deal with your email as soon as possible and you investigation then we will let you know and agree a will receive an acknowledgment so you know it has been response date. received. • We welcome feedback from customers and where • We will send a full reply within five working days or an possible will use it to shape the future delivery of our explanation of any delays with a new date for a full reply. services. • If the employee you email is away you will receive an automatic reply giving their return date, and the name and number of an alternative contact. If we are not meeting these standards please let us know by emailing: When you send a letter [email protected]

• We will respond to enquiries made by letter within 10 working days. In most cases this will be a full response but if the issue will take longer to consider or resolve we will tell you. • The reply will give the name, title, department, telephone number and work address of the person dealing with your query. 133 Tewkesbury Borough Council Agenda Item 9 TEWKESBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL

Report to: Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Date of Meeting: 12 January 2021

Subject: Communications Strategy Action Plan Review

Report of: Corporate Services Manager

Corporate Lead: Chief Executive

Lead Member: Leader of the Council

Number of Appendices: One

Executive Summary: Communications has a vital role to play in helping Tewkesbury Borough Council deliver its vision, priorities and objectives to local people. Our Communications Strategy is short and simple – looking at how our communications can protect and enhance our reputation, while also complementing supporting strategies such as digital and customer care. Good progress has been made on the 2020/21 action plan despite the significant communications resource required during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recommendation: To consider the progress made on the 2020/21 action plan and approve the actions for 2021/22.

Reasons for Recommendation: Given that we are a Council delivering a wide range of complex services to more than 90,000 residents, we need a clear strategy with an effective action plan to face the challenge of communicating effectively.

Resource Implications: None other than Officer time to implement the action plan.

Legal Implications: None directly arising from this report.

Risk Management Implications: If the Council does not have a strategy and action plan in place then this will adversely affect the reputation of the Council.

134

Performance Management Follow-up: Progress in delivering the action plan will be reported to Overview and Scrutiny Committee on an annual basis.

Environmental Implications: None directly arising from this report.

1.0 INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND

1.1 Our current Communications Strategy sets out to develop and improve our communications, as well as making sure it is in line with current best practice. It is important we recognise that communicating is at the heart of everything we do at all levels of the organisation. Clear communication helps us to strengthen our links with the public, our residents, stakeholders, Councillors and staff.

1.2 The strategy was developed with the financial challenges facing local government in mind, and as services develop to be as cost effective as possible, it is vital that we are

able to communicate these changes effectively to our target audiences – both internally and externally.

1.3 Importantly, the Communications Strategy reflects the importance of supporting our transformation work too. Communications is vital in helping our customers, Members, staff and stakeholders know when and how a service is changing, or when it can be accessed in a different way.

2.0 COMMUNICATIONS TEAM UPDATE

2.1 It is important to note that the actions within the plan have all been delivered alongside the day-to-day work on the communications team. This includes:

 Responding to media enquiries.  Responding to communication and design requests from all services across the Council.  Supporting key corporate projects such as the new digital platform, the Joint Core Strategy and the Ashchurch Bridge project.  The production and delivery of proactive communications, such as press releases, posters, Tewkesbury Borough News, staff briefings and e-newsletters.  Continual social media monitoring and updates.

2.2 The communications team has been instrumental in ensuring our customers are kept informed of our response to the pandemic. This has included attending the internal business and community cells, attending the county-wide communications cell, and providing the weekly update from Management Team Plus to Councillors and Parish Councils. A significant amount of work has also been invested into ensuring our social media accounts are kept updated with the constantly changing messages around the pandemic.

135

2.3 In the Peer Challenge carried out in March 2020, a recommendation was put forward to increase the proactive communications delivered by the Council. Given the already

existing pressure on the Council’s only part-time communications officer, vacant resource has been used create a temporary (two-year) full-time communications officer post. This post was successfully filled in October, and is already making a significant difference to the work being produced by the communications team, as well as providing much-needed resilience.

3.0 2019/20 ACTION PLAN UPDATE

3.1 The majority of actions have been delivered or, because of their ongoing nature, continue to be delivered. This progress is reflected within the action plan, which can be

found in Appendix 1.

3.2 Of the 13 actions for 2020/21:   

10 2 1

10 actions Carry out a review of internal Carry out a review of have been communications that can be internal communications completed and improved by Office 365 Due to pressures from the these can be applications Progress has been coronavirus pandemic, this found in the made on a range of Office365 action has not been action plan at functions but a full review of the completed yet. The Appendix 1. impact of Office 365 applications on communications team will aim corporate communications will be to carry out a full review in carried out as part of the overall early 2021. internal communications review.

Deliver regular communications to Town and Parish Councils. The regularity of Parish Matters was impacted by the pandemic, but this did not mean that communication with Parishes declined. In fact, it increased with the introduction of the weekly Members’ Bulletin. A new format for Parish Matters was established prior to the pandemic which offered Parish Councils updates with links to supporting and more detailed information.

4.0 ACTION PLAN FOR 2020/21

4.1 The action plan for 2020/21 can be found in the right hand column of the action plan at Appendix 1.

136

4.2 There are 27 actions within the new plan, which reflects the additional resource within the team as well as adding a new specific ‘graphic design’ category, which will be delivered by our internal graphic designer. The seven areas of focus for the action plan are:  Proactive communications.  Digital communications.  Training.  Communicating achievements.  Internal communications.  Communicating with partners.  Graphic design. Given the significant resource needed to support the COVID-19 pandemic work, it was felt prudent to include specific actions relating to this work.

5.0 OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED

5.1 None.

6.0 CONSULTATION

6.1 Not applicable.

7.0 RELEVANT COUNCIL POLICIES/STRATEGIES

7.1 Communications Strategy. Council Plan 2020 to 2024. Social Media Policy and Guidelines. Digital Strategy. Written Style and Branding Guide.

8.0 RELEVANT GOVERNMENT POLICIES

8.1 None.

9.0 RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS (Human/Property)

9.1 Managed within current resources and budget.

10.0 SUSTAINABILITY IMPLICATIONS (Social/Community Safety/Cultural/ Economic/ Environment)

10.1 None.

137

11.0 IMPACT UPON (Value For Money/Equalities/E-Government/Human Rights/Health And Safety)

11.1 Good communications will improve stakeholder’s knowledge of, and access to, council services and information.

12.0 RELATED DECISIONS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT FACTS

12.1 None.

Background Papers: None. Contact Officer: Corporate Services Manager Tel: 01684 272291 Email: [email protected] Appendices: 1 – Communications Strategy.

138 Communications Strategy action plan 2020

Communications action plan

Focus area Update on 2020/21 actions Status 2021 actions

Proactive communications Complete a review of the new look Tewkesbury Borough Support V8 in the reopening the high street following Magazine lockdown 2.0 A review of Tewkesbury Borough News took place after the first edition was delivered, and the feedback was overwhelmingly Deliver communications across all media channels to positive. The new-look magazine now includes a regular support the Covid-19 pandemic national messages and feature on a parish/town and interviews with community internal cell messages. organisations/businesses from across the borough. The magazine also continues to be relied upon to deliver important Provide communications support for the garden messages to our customers about our services including communities. Christmas waste/recycling changes, the garden communities, our Council Plan and pandemic advice. Investigate options for delivery and print of Tewkesbury Borough News to reduce the increasing costs. 139

Promote the work of the Business Transformation Team to Digital communications Support the Digital Strategy to promote digital ways of ensure its profile is raised, and the council is recognised for communicating. its forward-thinking approach to digital. Support has been provided across all digital-related projects, including the digital platform, paperless billing, bulky waste, Develop a video to promote the council as a fantastic garden waste and the website review. The communications organisation to work for – and look to link this in with a team will continue to provide advice and support around the tourism video about Tewkesbury Borough generally. most appropriate ways to engage with staff, members and the public as the new digital platform begins to roll out next year. Further increase our audience through engaging communications on our social media channels Increase video output Video has been used to promote a number of services including the Ashchurch bridge project, coronavirus updates and elections. Since the council’s new communications officer joined in September, we will look to increase video output further in 2021.

Tewkesbury Borough Council 1 Communications Strategy action plan 2020

Communications action plan

Focus area Update on 2020/21 actions Status 2021 actions

Continue to develop our communications through social media

Social media has proved crucial in the response to the pandemic, due to the reactive, changing nature of government policy. The council’s following has grown over all social media channels and interaction/engagement is also up.

Training Provide social media training for councillors Deliver social media training for all councillors. Social media training was provided for councillors at the beginning of this year by Darren at Comms2point0. The Deliver media training for lead members, heads of service

140 feedback was really positive, and we would happily hold another and the corporate leadership team. session, subject to interest and budget. The communications team will look to establish views on this over the coming Raise the profile of communications and the importance of months. effective communications via Staff Briefing session.

Promote our media protocol to staff and councillors The media protocol was approved at Executive Committee in February 2020, and issued to members and staff.

Promote council achievements in the local government arena, Communicating Introduce a new way of promoting staff achievements in such as the Municipal Journal News4U. achievements Our new digital platform was promoted across a range of local government media including MJ and LGC. Promote council achievements in local government and service-specific publications.

Promote the Council Plan annual refreshes – both internally Promote the year 1 refresh of the Council Plan and recovery Internal communications and externally. plan. The Council Plan was adopted in February 2020, and this was supported by a range of communications – both internally and Carry out a review of internal communications externally. This included updates through the intranet, via

Tewkesbury Borough Council 2 Communications Strategy action plan 2020

Communications action plan

Focus area Update on 2020/21 actions Status 2021 actions

posters, Staff Briefings, press releases and social media. Participate and support the council’s culture and Engagement also took place through our Citizens’ Panel. communications working group.

GDPR compliant photo storage Work with IT to ensure the intranet can pop up on staff’s A photo policy has been developed, and identifying the most computer when they log in to work while working from appropriate and safe way to store corporate photos is an home. action on the council’s GDPR workplan. Support the GDPR officer through delivery of GDPR Carry out a review of internal communications communications plan Due to pressures from the coronavirus pandemic, this action has not been completed yet. The communications team will aim to carry out a full review in early 2021. 141 Carry out a review of internal communications that can be improved by Office 365 applications The communications team has supported the roll out of Office 365, through intranet updates, and the development of a communications best practice leaflet for staff. The council’s staff newsletter – News4U is now published using Sharepoint and staff briefings are recorded and shared on Microsoft Stream.

However, a full review of the impact of Office 365 applications on corporate communications will be carried out as part of the overall internal communications review.

Continue to lead on communications for the Joint Core Continue to support Gloucestershire County Council and Communicating with Strategy team other public sector partners with pandemic partners The communications team continues to lead on the JCS communication. communications, and will also be providing support for a review of the JCS website over the coming months. Updates, Continue to lead on the communications for the Joint Core when appropriate, have been provided through press Strategy team releases, social media, website and Tewkesbury Borough News. Lead on the communications for a new bridge over road at Ashchurch

Tewkesbury Borough Council 3 Communications Strategy action plan 2020

Communications action plan

Focus area Update on 2020/21 actions Status 2021 actions

Deliver regular communications to town and parish councils. Support the growth hub with their external communications The regularity of Parish Matters was impacted by the pandemic, but this did not mean that communication with Re-introduce the new format for Parish Matters. parishes declined. In fact, it increased with the introduction of the weekly Members’ Bulletin.

A new format for Parish Matters was established prior to the pandemic which offered parish councils updates with links to supporting and more detailed information.

Graphic design This is a new specific graphic design section for 2020/21. Our Support the communications team to deliver successful

142 graphic design post sits closely with the communications team social media posts through engaging design. – with the overarching aim of improving and protecting our reputation, promoting and marketing our council services and Continue to provide graphic design support across the supporting the production of corporate strategies and policies. internal covid-19 cells – both for response and recovery.

Provide support to the council’s ‘digital first’ approach through providing design and branding concepts for new online services.

Support the production of corporate strategies, policies and reports across the council. Including the new council plan and recovery plan.

Provide design services to a range of functions across the council to help promote new initiatives, provide information to residents or staff and to market the borough as an excellent place to live, work and do business.

Tewkesbury Borough Council 4