NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
16 February 2022
Since the Chairman’s last statement to Council in July 2021, the Corporate and Partnership Overview and Scrutiny Committee has met once on 6 December 2021.
At the meeting, the Committee received a number of annual updates, which included updates on the refresh of the Council Plan and delivery of both the County Council’s Equality Objectives for 2021-2025, and alternative investment framework.
As part of the alternative investment framework update we considered the categories under which opportunities for investment fall, the limit set on the sums for investment, and the targets set on returns so that appropriate assessment of the risks and rewards can take place.
We also received an annual update on the operation of the Customer Portal, and I can confirm that work continues to encourage a channel shift to online services. We were pleased to note the improving data on uptake and usage, digital demand, social media contact, website visits and frontline and social care response and handling times, but we continue to have some concern about the lack of feedback and sometimes incorrect feedback provided in response to service complaints.
In addition, the Committee received bi-annual updates on both Community Safety and Property Services.
The new Chair of the Community Safety Partnership attended our meeting and confirmed that work was ongoing to review the Partnership’s priorities ahead of the delivery of a new Strategy, to be published once the new PFCC has published their Strategy. We continue to keep a watching brief on the impact of the pandemic on domestic abuse victims, and the opportunities and challenges arising from the new Domestic Abuse Act. We were pleased to note that more types of safe accommodation were becoming available across the County and that there was also a focus on how best to support those who wanted to remain in their own homes.
In regard to Property Services, we focussed on rationalisation and future plans as part of the LGR
Property workstream.
Finally, the Committee received a Quarter 2 performance update on the individual companies within the Brierley Group. We agreed that NYES would need some focus over the next couple of years as the market and dynamics continued to change. We also acknowledged the cyclical nature of property development.
County Councillor Andy Paraskos
Chairman of Corporate & Partnerships Overview & Scrutiny Committee
1 February 2022