Background
The Local Government Act (NI) requires Councils to ensure continuous improvement whilst carrying out their functions and delivering their services. Councils are also required to set improvement objectives and put in place arrangements to achieve these.
We are keen to ensure performance objectives have a positive impact on the quality of life for stakeholders across the Borough – that residents, businesses and stakeholders are confident of our commitment to deliver services that are efficient, economic and of a high standard. With this in mind, Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council – we - carried out a consultation to seek views on our draft performance improvement objectives for years 2022 to 2023.
The consultation closed on 8 April 2022 and 57 people/organisations responded. An analysis of the results shows that 91% to 95% of respondents agreed with our proposed objectives giving us assurances that our proposals are appropriate for the year ahead.
The suggestions, comments and feedback received have been passed to the relevant departments for consideration in line with business plans and service delivery plans.
In the section below, we provide a brief update on how Council currently addresses the matters raised from the feedback. We recognise there is more work to be done and are committed to improving in these areas within the Performance improvement Plan 2022/23.
Summary of additional comments and feedback from service areas concerned:
PIO 1 We will improve the availability of more inclusive services for those with autism and their carers - 91% of respondents agreed we should do this
You said
You said that council services should be extended beyond those with autism and their carers to other groups with special needs; that support is needed for a full range of age groups from under 5 years of age to adults; there was an emphasis on the popularity of swimming and suggestions of various sports that would be appealing to those with autism including parent- children-together activities along with suggestions for improvements for facilities.
We did
Council provides a wide range of inclusive services not only to assist those with autism and their carers but for service users with a range of disabilities. Information on a range of Inclusive Services is available from the Council’s website at https://www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk/inclusive-information/
Our Health and Recreation Department in partnership with Disability Sport NI and Live Active NI, offer a range of programmes across the Borough for example:
In addition, Council’s Summer Schemes are offered to children with a range of disabilities including Autism - All Stars is for children (referred through Southern Health & Social Care Trust) who require a high level of support. Advertised through our summer brochure, the Disability Sport NI Scheme is an inclusive scheme suitable for children who can attend independently. Our Autism in Sport Programme is delivered three times a year in Dromore or Richhill Community Centre, details of this can be found on the GetActive ABC Facebook page.
Examples of other services offered by Council include:
Key front-line staff have been trained in autism awareness and this remains a priority. The use of the JAM Card is welcome in all Council facilities. The Armagh Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre and the Navan Centre, have been recognised with Autism Impact Awards for introducing autism-friendly improvements.
Alongside the actions within the Performance Improvement Plan for those with Autism and their carers, Council will continue to develop relationships with voluntary and public sector partners such as Autism NI and the Southern Health and Social Care Trust through our Disability Action Plan, so that we can respond to carers needs.
PIO 2 - We will increase the number of people participating in sport and physical activity from groups least likely to participate, and maintain or increase the number of quality accreditations for outdoor and indoor spaces – 95% of respondents agreed we should do this
You said
You also suggested that Council run activities for mixed ability; that activities should be more permanent (not rotating programmes); that there should be more activities throughout the year and; you highlighted the need for financial support for staff and capital costs associated with running programmes.
Other suggestions included: activities for balance and stability; confidence building activities; general health and wellbeing activities; sensory related activities for those with autism; nature trails; greenways and; walking groups.
The following groups of people were highlighted as needing attention: under-fives, older people, those with chronic illnesses, with mental health disabilities and autism groups.
We did
As part of a collective effort, the Get Moving ABC Partnership has been set up to positively impact the health and wellbeing of the people living in the ABC Council area. The focus for year two will be on increasing the number of people participating in sport and physical activity from groups least likely to participate, but work to promote physical activity for everyone, will continue.
Council also works in partnership with Disability Sport NI to deliver the Get Out Get Active Programme which targets people with health conditions and also the Inclusive Sport and Leisure Programme with sessions for children which includes Autism in Sport, Wheelie Active and Inclusive Cycling. For more information contact Ryan McQuillan on rmcquillan@liveactiveni.co.uk and Colleen Connolly on colleenconnolly@dsni.co.uk
Following a recent Family Activity Consultation, officers are reviewing what activities are available for families to be active together.
Council has six Changing Places Toilets, a further two new facilities are to be registered and there are five additional Changing Places in the Borough. Council is also in the process of developing a Changing Places Policy.
Inclusive play is an important part of Council’s Play Strategy. A fundamental aspect of ensuring accessibility to play for all is the need to ensure that play areas offer opportunities for children and young people to play together regardless of individual ability or disability levels. Inclusive play means more than providing physical access to play areas or open spaces. In order to be truly inclusive a play area must be open and accessible for children regardless of their needs and abilities.
PIO 3 - We will reduce the number of days’ sick absence lost per employee - 91% of respondents agreed we should do this
You said
You suggested that more support for Council staff who are full-time carers and for those who are ill or have undergone surgery, was required; that the background to sickness absence should be more fully investigated; and that pressure on staff and the use of consultants may be creating low morale. Ideas for reducing sickness included encouraging staff to use leisure facilities more often and team building.
We did
Council has developed an action plan in response to a staff Health and Well Being survey which will be implemented over the next 12 months. Actions it this include:
In addition, Council continues to ensure a fair approach to the support of employees in balancing domestic and work responsibilities. Entitlement to types of leave of absence from work is set out in the “Leave Entitlement Policy” (taking into consideration the relevant employment legislation).
Long term absence continues to be a challenge but working with the employee, Council’s occupational health service provider and management, we will continue to facilitate those recovering from serious illnesses to return to work. We will do this gradually through the implementation of reasonable adjustments and in line with the Disability Discrimination Legislation.
PIO 4 - We will increase the information available to the public on Council’s agreed service standards and how well we are performing in relation to these - 93% of respondents agreed we should do this
You said
It should be noted responses to this objective were varied and included: criticisms of swimming arrangements at Portadown and Lurgan, and gym classes at South Lake and concerns about access to services for people with additional needs. Communication was highlighted, in particular perceptions of poor communication about the non-collection of bins; it was also suggested that better communication to Council’s own staff was needed.
There was a comment that service standards should be advertised widely; that anything that can add value would be welcome; the need for transparency about services; a need for residents to be listened to; and that the focus should be on primary areas such as infrastructure and environment.
There were also positive comments relating to bin collections and the Armagh leisure centre - particularly an autism initiative that has taken place.
We did
An agreed set of service standards were approved by Council in March 2022. These have been set to help customers understand what they can expect from certain services across Council.
In line with Council’s performance reporting arrangements, these will be reviewed quarterly by senior management, and a mid-year and annual performance will be reported to the Performance & Audit Committee. Performance against the service standards will also be included within our annually published Performance Self-Assessment Report.
It should be noted that there are a number of services which the public still perceive as Council functions such as: street lighting; maintenance of public roads and; septic tank cleaning. These normally fall to other central government departments or agencies such as the Department of Infrastructure Roads Service, NI Water and the Rates Collection Agency. Where residents contact Council in relation to any other non-Council services, they are referred to the correct body via contact details normally available on the NI Direct website.
PIO 5 - We will implement recommendations from the Building Control and Planning Service reviews, and improve processing times for building control and planning applications - 93% of respondents agreed we should do this
You said
Your feedback included criticism about the planning process: you said that communication was poor; that there seemed to be undue influence over planning applications; perceptions that buildings are being erected without notification or permission; and that the overall standard of service was not value for money.
We did
Council’s Planning Department is in the process of implementing a service improvement plan which will address a number of issues identified in the consultation responses, including matters relating to customer care, transparency and processing times. A new planning Enforcement Strategy will also be brought forward.
It should be noted that a number of the issues raised are common to all planning authorities across Northern Ireland, as highlighted by the recent report produced by the Northern Ireland Audit Office.
The Council is working closely with a range of organisations including the Department for Infrastructure in order to consider and address these issues.
PIO 6 - We will improve our understanding of Council’s carbon footprint, energy and resource consumption to inform the development of a Sustainable Development and Climate Change Strategy - 91% of respondents agreed we should do this
You said
Your responses included traffic related ideas such as working with schools to get children walking and cycling to school; and supporting the roll out of electric vehicles and charging points. You also suggested reducing fuel consumption, using renewables and solar panels and allowing people to continue a hybrid form of working.
Suggestions were also made for improvements to recycling at recycling centres; working with third party suppliers and businesses to reduce use of disposable items/single use plastics and; to focus on litter control by involving schools and community groups and; planting more trees.
We did
Council currently implements a number of actions to contribute to this performance improvement, including:
Council’s Economic Development Services Department provide support and advice on a number of funding streams available towards a greener economy. Further information is available by contacting: economicdevelopment@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk
Equality
The comments received in relation to the Equality Screening exercise suggest that a small number of respondents have queried both the Council’s willingness and ability to address issues relating to the nine equality groups. However, in accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 the Council will continue to assess the impact of its policies on the promotion of equality of opportunity and good relations and take appropriate action where necessary.
Rural Needs Impact
In terms of the Rural Needs Impact – 79% of responses received agreed that this will have a positive impact on the rural needs within our Borough. In accordance with the Rural Needs Act (NI) 2016 the Council will continue to have due regard to the social and economic needs of those living in rural areas when developing, adopting, implementing or revising policies, strategies and plans and when designing and delivering service
Deadline for registering for Business Grants is 20 May 2020
We asked which areas of support would be most valuable to our businesses.
You told us that access to finance was one of the most important issues.
Please note that the registration deadline for the £10,000 and £25,000 grant schemes is this Wednesday - 20 May 2020.
This also includes businesses that occupy rental properties.
Find out more about the schemes, eligibility and how to register here: bit.ly/2LC1izv
It is important to note, a short time after launching this consultation on our draft Performance Improvement Objectives 2020/21, the Government announced a nationwide lockdown, in response to the global Coronavirus pandemic. Consequently, this also had an impact on the number of responses received.
In demonstrating Council’s commitment to meaningful consultation process and ‘Closing the Loop’, and as a method of best practice, we include a summary on ‘You Said, We Did’ section within our Consultation Hub.
During an 8-week period of consultation, we asked for feedback on our draft Performance Improvement Objectives (PIOs) for 2020/21. Specifically, we asked; “Do you agree that the proposed Performance Improvement Objectives are appropriate for our Borough?”
Responses were largely in agreement with our proposed PIOs. Some responses also included specific comments and additional suggestions. Thank you for this feedback.
|
PIOs |
% of Respondents in agreement |
% of Respondents in disagreement |
% of Respondents who didn’t provide an answer |
|
60 |
40 |
0 |
|
100 |
0 |
0 |
|
80 |
0 |
20 |
|
60 |
20 |
20 |
|
40 |
20 |
40 |
|
40 |
20 |
40 |
Officers carried out an analysis of those responses received. The additional / supplementary comments and valuable feedback we received as part of this consultation have been passed to relevant departments for their consideration.
During April – July 2020, Council continued to liaised with the Department for Communities (DfC) seeking guidance/consideration of options in relation to the impact of Covid 19 and 2020-21 Performance Improvement Plan.
On 17 August 2020 Council received formal notification from DfC stating:
Council will continue to engage with the Department to ensure a collaborative approach is taken, along with the other 10 councils in relation to our statutory performance duties next year.
For further information please contact the Performance and Audit Department by emailing: performance@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk
As part of Council’s Capital Play Development Programme the play park in Drumbeg/Meadownbrook/Pinbank (Tullygally) has been designated for refurbishment, with an investment of £100,000
There are more children and young people living within the Meadowbrook/ Drumbeg areas and the Play Strategy has recommended relocating the existing Play Area to better meet the needs of an expanded area to include Meadowbrook and Drumbeg.
Two sites were identifed and Council wanted to hear residents views on which site they feel would better suit the Neighbourhood Play Park which is designated for the Tullygally area
Council received 303 responses:
Council is therefore recommending that the new play facilities be located on site two; this site is owned by NIHE and Council are progressing with this matter at the moment.
A public meeting will be arranged to discuss this matter with the residents/community; the date for this meeting will be post on the Get Active & Council Facebook/website pages.
In our continuing effort to improve the quality of play service provided by Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council, we carried out an online and postal survey to establish the number of children aged 0-14 years old in the Blackskull area that would avail of play facilities and how those children play.
Council received the following responses to the surveys:
Online survey – 59 responses received, total 133 children
Postal survey – 31 received, total 84 children
Therefore there are a total of 217 children in the local area.
It would be Council's recommendation to progress a new play park in the Blackskull area. However, it should be noted that no site has been identified at present.
For feedback on current service provision and perception of value for money for getactiveabc memberships at the Orchard Leisure Centre to ensure the best possible service is provided to our customers.
A total of 34 people completed the Survey.
Over 70% of respondents rated their getactiveabc memberships as either excellent or good value for money. The remaining 29% rated their membership as average in terms of value for money, but none of the surveyed customers rated their membership as ‘poor value for money’
Awareness rates of membership options was an area which was highlighted as needing to be addressed; 58% were aware how many people the family membership covered while 41% were unaware.
As a result of your feedback, we have ensured that more getactiveabc membership promotional material is now available as well as increased information posts on Facebook about family membership options.
During an 8-week period of consultation, we asked for feedback on our draft Performance Improvement Objectives (PIOs) for 2019/20. Specifically, we asked; “Do you agree that the proposed Performance Improvement Objectives are appropriate for our Borough?
Responses were largely in agreement with our proposed PIOs. Some responses also included specific comments and additional suggestions for improvement across a range of service areas. Thank you for this feedback.
|
PIOs |
% of Respondents in agreement |
% of Respondents in disagreement |
% of Respondents who didn’t provide an answer |
|
100 |
0 |
0 |
|
89 |
11 |
0 |
|
89 |
11 |
0 |
|
56 |
11 |
33 |
|
89 |
11 |
0 |
We have carried out an analysis of the responses received and are confident that the rate of agreement provides assurance that our proposed PIOs for 2019-20 are appropriate for the Borough.
The additional suggestions / supplementary comments and valuable feedback we received as part of this consultation have been passed to relevant Departments for their consideration in line with their Departmental Business Plans and delivery of their Action Plans. It will help to shape the design of our Performance Improvement Objectives for 2020-21. Further information can be obtained by contacting the Performance and Audit Department at performance@armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk
Summary of Additional Comments
Comments made in relation to PIO1 mostly recommend additional support for our rural businesses as well as investment in our town centres. Council has committed to addressing these areas through on-going delivery of the Rural Development Programme and the establishment of multi-stakeholder Town Centre Task Force Action Plan.
Comments in relation to PIO2 mostly relate to litter and dog fouling, maintenance of our green spaces and greenways, and the upkeep of our village and town centres, including public realm projects. Council has committed to improving these areas through implementation of the Clean Neighbourhoods Action Plan, as well as the Rural Development Programme and the Town Centre Task Force Action Plan.
Comments in relation to PIO3 suggest that we should make more use of direct methods of engagement with our customers and that we should engage more via digital platforms and social media. Council has committed to improving engagement with all customers by establishing a Customer Care Project Team who will consider the feedback provided. Council has also invested in an on-line Consultation Hub, which provides a digital platform for surveys, questionnaires and consultations. Council’s Communications team already engage with the public across a range of digital platforms and media but further development of this can be considered.
Comments made in relation to PIO 4 relate to concerns about the environment and the impact of development on our infrastructure. These matters are currently being addressed, and will continue to be addressed, by Council’s Planning department through the exercising of its primary functions, including Development Management and the preparation of a new Local Development Plan. In addition, our Planning and Building Control Departments have recently carried out service reviews of their working practices, resulting in agreed Action Plans, which will be implemented during 2019/2020 to deliver service improvements.
Comments in relation to PIO 5 suggest that Council should take a more holistic approach to health and well-being that includes strong community partnerships, with Council as a facilitator, and suggests better use of outdoor spaces to promote well-being. There is a strong focus on this objective within the Community Plan and Council’s Corporate Plan. A Healthy Community Thematic Action Planning Group has been set up to facilitate partnership work to reduce health inequalities and provide opportunities for everyone to be healthy and active and Council take an active role in this group. In addition, Council’s Play Strategy and Action Plan and Tourism Strategy outline Council’s commitment to providing health, cultural and social opportunities to our citizens.
Council’s 2019/20 Performance Improvement Plan was published on 27 June 2019 and can be viewed here: https://www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk/download/44/performance-plan-2015-16/27225/performance-improvement-plan-for-2019-20.pdf
Question 1: Are you happy with the opening hours?
Question 2 : Are you happy with the cleanliness of the facilities?
Question 3: Are you happy with the condition of the sanitary ware in the facilities?
Question 4: Are you happy for the provision for ALL user groups?
Question 5: Are you happy with the location of the facilities?
Answer 1: 73% of respondents said that they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the opening hours, however, 15% were dissatisfied and 12% were very dissatisfied.
Answer 2: 58% of respondents said that they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the cleanliness of the facilities, however, 23% were dissatisfied and 18% were very dissatisfied.
Answer 3: 50% of respondents said that they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the condition of the sanitary ware in the facilities, however, 32% were dissatisfied and 18% were very dissatisfied.
Answer 4: 56% of respondents said that they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the provision for ALL user groups, however, 26% were dissatisfied and 19% were very dissatisfied.
Answer 5: 79% of respondents said that they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the location of the facilities, however 14% were dissatisfied and 7% were very dissatisfied.
As a result of this we plan to:
As part of Council’s Capital Play Development Programme, the play park in Lurgan Park has been designated for refurbishment with an investment of £250,000.
It was suggested that the current existing site (Site 1) might not be in the best location and a potential new site (Site 2) had been identified close to the entrance at Waves Leisure Complex, Robert Street.
Council asked residents for their views on which site they feel would better suit the new District Play Park in Lurgan Park
Responses:
Site 1: Total responses 136 = 33.58%
Site 2: Total responses 268 = 66.17%
The majority of respondants agreed that site 2, beside Waves Leisure Complex (Robert Street entrance) was the most suitable site.
However, after this survey closed a public meeting was held and Council was contacted regarding a number of potential difficulties using the site chosen.
Council asked for guidance from Heritage Lottery Fund and Health & Safety in relation to the site; their advice stated that the site identified (site 2) could not be used for the new play area.
The play area will remain in the existing site (subject to planning permission), however, it will be larger and will have all the equipment that was previously chosen as part of the consultation with schools and the public.
To view the 3D walkthgough video of Lurgan Park new play area; please scroll down to the link below:
For feedback on the level of cleanliness and housekeeping at the Orchard Leisure Centre to ensure that we provide the best possible service for our customers.
A total of 103 people completed the survey of those 73 were current members of Orchard Leisure Centre.
42 respondents filled in the open ended comment section, the following trends for areas needing attention were evident;
As a result of your feedback we carried the following work: