Meeting documents

1 THE ISSUE

1.1 The Directors' Group receives performance reports from each service area on a four monthly cycle. The attached report provides details of performance and key issues arising in Culture and Leisure services to August 2004. Culture and Leisure services include: Heritage Services, Leisure Services, including Parks, and Library Services.

2 RECOMMENDATION

2.1 The Council Executive is asked to note the performance of Culture & Leisure services for the period and the issues arising, as detailed in the attached report.

2.2 The Council Executive is asked to consider whether any further specific actions are required.

3

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

3.1 No financial implications directly arising from this report.

4 THE REPORT

4.1 The attached report provides details of main achievements and key issues arising from the following services:

B7 Heritage Services

B7 Leisure Services

B7 Parks

B7 Library Services

4.2 The report also measures performance by the services against the eighteen performance targets included within the Council's Performance Plan. Progress against targets, and the likelihood of achieving them, is assessed as either "Green" (on target); "Amber" (some difficulty expected in achieving target) or "Red" (target in danger of not being achieved).

4.3 Seventeen targets are assessed as "green" - likely to be achieved (94% of the total).

4.4 One target is assessed as "amber", and relates to the number of visits per head of population to public libraries per one thousand population. The library service was 2% below target against this annual measure, which is based upon an average of visitors in three months (April, July & November), and is likely to fall below the target for the current financial year.

4.5 Measures are in place to improve this level of performance: A marketing policy has been completed, marketing activities are ongoing and re-branding of libraries has begun. Refurbishments and pilots for expanded service provision are also underway (e.g. at Writhlington school).