Delivering value for money and better services for residents

Melton Borough Council has published its latest performance report, revealing a strong start to the financial year with clear progress in delivering its long-term strategy, Vision 36, while continuing to manage public funds responsibly. 
 
In the first quarter of the year the Corporate Performance, Risk and Feedback Report highlights that 60% of key performance indicators are on track or above target showcasing the Council’s commitment to improving services and delivering value for money. 
 
Councillor Margaret Glancy, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Governance, Environment and Regulatory Services, commented: 
“We are proud of the progress made in the first quarter of the year. These results show that we are delivering on our promises to residents, improving services, and managing our resources wisely. We remain focused on tackling challenges and ensuring every pound spent delivers real value.” 
 
The key achievements include:  

• Spending is under control – An underspend is forecast for the 25/26 financial year and whilst there are spending pressures these have been offset by additional income and efficiencies found elsewhere.
• Leisure centre usage has surged by over 60%, when compared to the same period last year, to over 156,000 visits following recent investment in facilities.
• Rent arrears for council homes have reduced significantly to 4.22%, the lowest in 18 months, as a result of sustained improvements in the process
• Invoice payments are being made promptly, ensuring we are a good organisation to do business with, with 97% of undisputed invoices paid within 30 days.
• Treasury management performance has continued at a high level with the Council outperforming a number of other similar Councils. The interest received contributes to the cost of Council services.

While the Council continues to face challenges such as temporary accommodation pressures and sundry debt collection, proactive steps are being taken to address these issues, including increased staffing, preventative work and improved oversight of these services. 
 
The Council has in place plans to further support delivery through work on financial sustainability recognising the need for innovation and careful prioritisation in a financially constrained environment. 
 
The report also reflects the Council’s commitment to transparency and learning, with a summary of the complaints and compliments received in the first three months of the year, and crucially the council’s approach to learning from them. Over half of the complaints were upheld or partially upheld, demonstrating the Council’s willingness to listen and improve, and the fact that very few were referred to the Ombudsman and none were upheld by them should give confidence that the council’s internal processes are working well. 
 
The full report is available on the Council’s website: https://democracy.melton.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=202&MId=2665