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 December 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 progress made and key issues arising from the following services:

Heritage Services

Leisure Services

Parks

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 Sixteen targets are assessed as "green" - likely to be achieved (90% 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. Performance against this annual measure is based upon an average of visitors in three months (April, July & November).A programme of library refurbishments and "pilot" library developments (including at Writhlington school) is underway with the aim of improving visitor numbers and usage levels. This has been supported by increased marketing and re-branding activity.

4.5 The target that has been assessed as "red" relates to the opening of the Spa development, which has been subject to continued delays linked to design and construction faults.