4. Audit Scrutiny 2023 24 Elected Member request report (002)
North Ayrshire Council · 30 May 2024
Back to Audit and Scrutiny Committee — 30 May 2024 and its agenda
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 30 May 2024 Audit and Scrutiny Committee Title: 2023/24 Elected Member Requests Report Purpose: To inform the Audit and Scrutiny Committee of the Council's performance relating to Elected Member requests handled in Financial Year 2023/24. Recommendation: That the Committee notes the report and the information provided. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 This report details Elected Member requests information covering the period 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 (referred to in the report as 2023/24). 2. Background 2.1 This section contains information and commentary on Elected Member requests handled by the Council during Financial Year 2023/24. 2.2 Volume of Elected Member requests actioned during 2023/24 Volume of requests actioned during year 2,992 2.2.1 Councillor requests can be handled by Services under two stages: Stage One – non-complex requests with a timescale to action of 5 working days Stage Two – complex requests with a timescale to action of 20 working days
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2.2.2 The table below details all Councillor requests actioned during the year: 2023/24 Stage One requests actioned 2,302 Stage One requests actioned on time 1,994 % Stage One requests actioned on time 87% Stage Two requests actioned 2 Stage Two requests actioned on time 2 % Stage Two requests actioned on time 100% Total % of requests actioned on time 87% 2.2.3 Year on Year comparison 2.2.4 The table below shows a comparison of the volume of Councillor requests received and actioned over the last three years: Councillor Requests 2021/22 2022/23 2023/24 Stage One requests actioned 1,971 2,903 2,302 Stage One requests actioned on time 1,779 2,588 1,994 % Stage One requests actioned on time 90% 89% 87% Stage Two requests actioned 0 2 2 Stage Two requests actioned on time 0 1 2 % Stage Two requests actioned on time n/a 50% 100% Total % of requests actioned on time 90% 89% 87% 2.3 Volume of requests per Directorate 2.3.1 Councillor Stage One requests (5 working day timescale to action) Directorate Department No. of requests actioned No. actioned on time % actioned on time Average no. of days to resolve Target (days) Chief Executive’s Chief Executive Office 1 1 100% 5 5 Customer Services 21 19 90% 2.4 5 IT 1 1 100% 2 5 Legal Services 15 11 73% 10 5 Communities & Housing Building Services 97 86 89% 3.5 5 Community Facilities 2 2 100% 1.5 5 Community Learning & Dev. 11 11 100% 2.4 5 Housing 426 379 89% 3.5 5 Planning 20 19 95% 3.2 5 Protective Services 28 24 86% 4 5 Sports & Activity 6 4 67% 5.8 5
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Education Education 42 30 71% 4.5 5 Facilities Management 9 7 78% 3.4 5 Place Roads 607 583 96% 2.7 5 Streetscene 389 319 82% 3.5 5 Waste 253 218 86% 3.6 5 Business Development 3 3 100% 3.3 5 Employability 1 1 100% 5 5 Regeneration 47 31 66% 2.6 5 Energy/Sustainability 16 8 50% 7.6 5 PMI 130 114 88% 3.7 5 Transport 3 3 100% 2 5 Health & Social Care Partnership Children & Families 29 21 72% 3.8 5 Health & Community Care 116 77 66% 5 5 Mental Health 28 21 75% 5.2 5 Support Services 1 1 100% 5 5 2,302 1,994 87% 3.5 5 2.3.2 Councillor Stage Two requests (20 working day timescale to action) Directorate Department No. of requests actioned No. actioned on time % actioned on time Average no. of days to resolve Stage Ones Target (days) Place PMI 2 2 100% 12 20 2 2 100% 12 20 2.4 MP/MSP requests 2.4.1 MP and MSP requests have a set timescale of 10 working days to action and the table below details the requests actioned during the period: 2023/24 Requests actioned 688 Requests actioned on time 509 % of requests actioned on time 74% 2.4.2 Councillor and MP/MSP requests that did not meet timescale were due to multiple factors, including: • Administrative errors • Employee/Officer availability for approving responses prior to issue • Reduced resources, causing delays investigating requests • Further information required to respond to requests (including from third parties) • Operational pressures.
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2.5 Recording Councillor requests 2.5.1 The table below shows how Councillor requests were logged throughout the year: Volume % Volume of Councillor requests recorded 2,328 Volume logged by Councillors 1,309 56% Volume logged by Member Services 555 24% Volume logged via other channels 464 20% 2.5.2 Of the 1,309 requests logged by Councillors during the period, 21 Councillors used their NAC online Member accounts to log requests themselves. 2.6 Issue identified regarding follow up actions for Councillor requests 2.6.1 Members noted at a previous Audit and Scrutiny Committee that some requests that required follow up actions were being closed with no updates provided to the Members once complete, causing Members difficulties when trying to relay full closure information to their constituents. A process to address these concerns was developed and implemented late 2023 and an update on how the process is functioning will be provided to a future Committee once sufficient information for analysis has been acquired. 3. Proposals 3.1 It is proposed the Committee approves the report and recognises the Council’s performance in handling Elected Member requests in relation to Section 2 above. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 None. Human Resources 4.2 None. Legal 4.3 None. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 None. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 None. Key Priorities 4.6 None.
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Community Wealth Building 4.7 None. 5. Consultation 5.1 None. Aileen Craig Head of Service for Democratic Services For further information please contact Aileen Craig, Head of Democratic Services, on (01294) 324125. Background Papers None