Agenda item

OS/175/15 PROVISIONAL OUTTURN Q1

R Baker introduced the report. Section two of the report provides an overall summary of the general fund position £785,000 overspend, of this £279,000 were in the budgets in the remits of the committee which are detailed in section three. Section 4 provides details of the variance of the capital programme which is at £64,000 overspend, details of which are outlined in the agenda.

Councillor Ashbourn referred to paragraph 3.1 and asked if the unproductive service was linked to the sickness levels or were there other reasons.

D Austin said that was a range of factors and there was a range of sophisticated modelling of the new service making sure the resources were sufficient. The sickness were higher than expected as there were long term complex issues within the department. Therefore, there was a need to use agency staff that can make the service less productive.

Councillor Ashbourn then asked what restrictive duties meant and what that involved.

C Thorpe said that some crew members are unable to fulfil full duties, for example, they might be able to empty some of the smaller bins but not the large commercial bins.

Councillor C Wyatt-Lowe referred to paragraph 3.1 and mentioned that the savings targets were not being achieved. Two additional waste collections required so why were they required. Quick overview of where the investigations are at and is the department likely to get the overspend back.

D Austin said that they have reigned in the additional round for garden waste so that is one piece of work already complete. Currently looking around ideas about working practices and including the contractual conditions of group task and finish which may be having an impact. Also looking at modelling work that was already done to look at any further efficiency.

Councillor Hicks arrived at 7.38pm

Councillor C Wyatt-Lowe asked officers to clarify what task and finish meant.

D Austin said that historically in the waste industry, collection crews will typically work contractual hours, group task and finish or individual task and finish. Individual task and finish involves a crew – which is a driver and two loaders – going home once they have finished their allocated work. Group task and finish is when all crews must finish all the rounds before they can go home and this is what is currently operated.

Councillor Riddick referred back to paragraph 3.1 and the proportion of savings. Is the service not as productive or was the target set too ambitious in the first place.

D Austin said they had a member’s task and finish groups which involved looking at several service combinations. An external waste specialist was used to come in and do the modelling work as part of the Herts Waste Partnership. The modelling is correct, but there is something else going on which means the targets are not being met.

Councillor Riddick then asked if there are instances of work-related sickness then is Health and Safety involved and also, agency staff are expensive but less effective. Councillor Riddick asked if there could be a culture of ‘them and us’ and wanted to know how much longer the agency staff will be required.

D Austin said that in comparative terms, agency staff are not more expensive per person but they can lead to service quality issues.

The Chairman asked if there were any other reasons that had been identified which may be affecting the service.

D Austin said it is quite difficult in terms of cause and effect to work out what is really going on. D Austin said he was pretty confident that a factor is the sickness absence, as well as the group task and finish which has led to some crews feeling that other crews are not working as hard as they could be and therefore slowing down to compensate. In the short term, one solution could be moving towards individual task and finish may be a better idea and could increase productivity. There may be other factors in terms of how staff adapt to changes in the service with regards to weekly food waste collections.

Councillor Fisher asked that when staffing levels are set, is there any allowance made for sickness and annual leave.

C Thorpe said that the full 27 days annual leave is taken into account and when the budget is set, they do include budgeted sick days.

Outcome

The Strategic Planning and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee noted the report.