Annex 2 – Performance – Council Plan Outcomes
1 This report concentrates on the indicators that make up the Council Plan performance framework and does not cover COVID-related activity.
2 It is likely that due to impacts of COVID, a number of the indicators will see a significant change both in terms of their numbers and their direction of travel in future reporting periods. The majority of the performance measures within the Council Plan have a lag between the data being available, and the current reporting period and therefore impacts will not be immediately seen, and may occur over several years as new data becomes available.
3 Within the updates on the Council Plan indicators, are a number of indicators which show the status of economic, community or corporate recovery since the start of the pandemic.
Well paid jobs and an inclusive economy
Business Rates
4 The year to date collection rate for Business Rates up to the end of September 2022 was 60.41% (2.61% above the target collection rate and 12.83% above the collection rate in 2021-22). The year to date collection rate for Council Tax up to the end of September 2022 was 54.75% (1.56% below the target collection rate but 0.40% above the collection rate in 2021-22).
Median earnings of residents – Gross weekly pay
5 In April 2021, the median gross weekly earnings for full-time resident employees in York were £597.90, which is an increase of 4.4% from £572.60 in 2020. Nationally in 2021, gross weekly earnings for full-time employees increased most in the lower paying occupations such as process plant and machine operatives (9.1%) and elementary occupations (7.7%). Skilled trades also saw a large increase (9%) after having the largest decrease between 2019 and 2020 (negative 6.5%) but the highest paying occupations had the smallest increases between 2020 and 2021. Data for 2022-23 will be available in November 2022.
% of working age population qualified – to at least L2 and above
6 In 2021-22, 87.9% of the working age population in York were qualified to at least L2 and above (GCSE grades 9-4), which is higher than the national and regional figures (78.2% and 76.4% respectively). This result ranks the city of York first regionally. The 2021-22 figure has increased from 2020-21 (83.4%). Achieving level 2 is valuable in itself: full level 2 qualification on average results in a 9% increase in earnings. Data for 2022-23 will be available in May 2023.
% of working age population qualified – to at least L4 and above
7 In 2021-22, 59.3% of the working age population in York were qualified to at least L4 and above (certificate of higher education or equivalent), which is higher than the national and regional figures (43.5% and 38.0% respectively). This result ranks the city of York first regionally. The 2021-22 figure is a big increase from 2020-21 (46.4%). Data for 2022-23 will be available in May 2023.
GVA (Gross Value Added) per head (£)
8 In 2020-21 (the latest available data), the GVA per head in York was £28,967 which was the second highest figure regionally. The slight decrease on values from last year (£30,465 or 4.9%) was expected, mainly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic (GVA per head for the UK fell by 3.8%), but, annually since 2009-10, the GVA per head has generally been increasing (from £25,976 per head).
% of vacant city centre shops compared to other cities
10 The York figure has not fluctuated a great deal in the past 10 years, with a high of 10.3% in 2017-18. The national benchmark figure had remained stable for a number of years since a high of 12.5% in 2013-14, but the latest figure of 14.4% in 2021-22 is the highest seen since then. Properties in York are owned by different commercial parties and CYC commercial properties have very low levels of vacancies.
11 This measure will continue to be monitored alongside looking at vacancy rates within secondary shopping centres, which are areas that the organisation has a long-term commitment towards investing in, in order to broaden the economic picture of the city. At the end of Q2 2022-23, the vacancy rates within secondary shopping centres were relatively low (9% at Clifton Moor, 0% in Haxby Village and 5% in Acomb High Street). At Monks Cross, the vacancy rate has decreased from 20% in Q1 2022-23 to 13% in Q2 showing a good direction of travel.
12 In the financial year up to the end of September 2022, there were 432 new business start-ups in the City of York Council area, which is higher than in the previous year (377 by September 2021). The latest figure is at only a slightly lower level to that seen before the pandemic.
% of working age population in employment (16-64)
13 In Q1 2022-23, 81.6% of the working age population were in employment, which is higher than the national and regional figures (75.5% and 74.7% respectively) and the York performance gives the city a ranking of first regionally. The figure for Q1 2022-23 in York is higher than seen in previous years.
14 At the end of September 2022 there were 11,475 people, in York, on Universal Credit which is an increase of 79% compared with February 2020 (pre-pandemic figures). Following a high of 13,236 in February 2021, the figures dropped to a low of 11,054 in May 2022 but they have increased over the last four months.
Getting around sustainably
P&R Passenger Journeys
Local bus passenger journeys
% of ROAD and pathway network that are grade 4 (poor condition) or grade 5 (very poor condition) - Roadways / Pathways
17 No update since the Q3 2021-22 Monitor as annual data. Data for 2022-23 will be available in November 2022.
Area Wide Traffic Levels (07:00 -19:00) (Excluding A64)
18 No update since the Q3 2021-22 Monitor as annual data. Data for 2021-22 will be available in November 2022.
Index of cycling activity (12 hour)
19 The data suggests that cycling levels in the 2020s are lower than in the 2010s. There are a number of reasons for this; technical issues with the hardware and software counting system, the impact of the Tour de France and the major effect of the Pandemic on all types of behaviour, including the introduction of furlough and the establishment of working from home as the new normal.
20 Cycling counter data from across the city has been cleaned and anomalies removed, to cleanly calculate results for the last ten years. This recalculation leaves an initial level in 2021 of 101% of the 2009 baseline compared to 114% the previous year. The cleaned data supports the view that there is significantly less commuting, evidenced by AM/PM data having lower peaks at rush hour times. Google mobility statistics capture the increase in leisure-related cycle trips, however due to technical issues with the counters and the placement of these counters on commuter routes, this has not been reflected in CYC numbers.
21 Approximately 10% of the cycle counter network has technical issues. To resolve this the Council is in the process of procuring a robust maintenance process alongside re-engineering processes for the production, quality assurance, analysis and publication of cycling information. All raw data for the last ten years relating to cycle counters is being republished to the Council’s Open Data platform during November 2022 to reflect these issues and give a common platform to report on.
22 City of York Council actively promotes cycling and is aware that safety concerns discourage many people from cycling, something highlighted by the feedback to the “Our Big Conversation” consultation around transport. We are taking forward a wide range of projects to address this, improving many cycle routes around York including, the scheme on Tadcaster Road, rebuilding Scarborough Bridge and the new Rufforth – Knapton path. York’s Local Plan contains a commitment to spend £4.9m developing cycling infrastructure in York, and high levels of cycling will be important to manage traffic from the developments being taken forward in and around our City. Many of these developments have commitments to provide new cycle routes, or on-road lanes. All of York’s major transport projects (dualling the A1237, York Central, rebuilding the area in front of the railway station and Castle Gateway) include substantial cycle schemes. We are developing a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan for York and measures for cycling will be an important part of the Local Transport Strategy, as – more cycling supports York’s ambitions for a greener, cleaner and healthier city.
23 Statistics about walking and cycling in England in 2021 were published during August 2022. The data is based on two main sources, The National Travel Survey and the Active Lives Survey. The picture for York residents remains a positive one with 16% of respondents from York cycling once per week, compared to 9% nationally and 8% regionally. When comparing the latest data in York to the previous year, a shift in activity can be seen which is likely to be a direct effect of changing mobility restrictions and behaviours caused by the pandemic. The percentage of respondents indicating that they cycle for leisure decreased by 5% back to pre-pandemic levels and those indicating that they cycle for travel decreased by 2% (and has not returned to pre-pandemic levels due to more people now working from home).
Index of pedestrians walking to and from the City Centre (12 hour in and out combined)
24 From a baseline in 2009-10 (37,278), there has been a 3% increase in the number of pedestrians walking to and from the city centre in 2021-22. This is the same as in 2020-21 but 8% lower than in 2019-20. Data is gathered on an annual basis over the course of one day; it is a count of pedestrians crossing an inner cordon set just beyond the inner ring road and includes off-road routes such as riverside paths. Data for 2022-23 will be available in March 2023.
% of customers arriving at York Station by sustainable modes of transport (cycling, walking, taxi or bus – excluding cars, lift, motorcycle or train)
25 In 2021, 79% of customers arrived at York station by sustainable modes of transport which is an increase from 72% in 2019 (Due to COVID restrictions on movement, the survey did not take place during 2020, therefore data is not available for this year). The data is gathered by an annual survey which takes place for a five- hour period in seven locations around the station. Members of the public are asked how they arrive at the station and the results are flow weighted to take into account the split of people arriving at each entrance. Data for 2022 will be available in March 2023.
Good Health and Wellbeing
· During the second quarter of 2022-23, they received 3,824 contacts, which whilst higher than pre-pandemic levels, is a 16% reduction from the number received during the corresponding quarter in 2021-22 (4,542).
· Around 15% of the contacts during the second quarter of 2022-23 were resolved using Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG), which is a lower percentage than were resolved using IAG during the same quarter in 2021-22 (20%). This is likely to have been as a result of our CCWs dealing with increasingly complex issues from those with ASC-related queries.
27 The number of individuals in residential/nursing care placements fell sharply at the start of the 2020-21 financial year, mainly due to the Covid crisis, but has remained relatively stable since the summer of 2020. At the end of September 2022, this number was 586, compared to 591 at the end of September 2021. During the second quarter of 2022-23, the number of new admissions of people to residential/nursing care was 47, a decrease of 28% compared with the same period in 2021-22 (65).
28 The number of people receiving home care services as their main provision has begun to rise again in recent months after a steady decline in the number during 2021-22. At the end of September 2022, there were 694 people who had, as their main provision, a home care service; this is 2% lower than the corresponding figure at the end of September 2021 (709) but represents an increase from the March 2022 low of 658. Some of the recipients of home care services may otherwise have been placed in much more costly residential/nursing care and reflects on the good preventative work CYC has done.
29 In the second quarter of 2022-23, 170 clients were recorded as receiving a paid ASC service for the first time (“new starters”). This is a significant increase compared with the number in the corresponding quarter during 2021-22 (117). The number during the second quarter of 2022-23 (78) that have returned to ASC for a paid service is similar to the one reported during the second quarter of 2021-22 (79). This suggests that although we are still experiencing high demand for care, which prevents us keeping the number of first-time entrants low, we are doing well by ensuring that fewer people need to re-enter ASC for additional spells of care, although it is now becoming an ongoing challenge to maintain this position.
Proportion of adults in contact with secondary mental health services living independently
30 The 2021-22 ASCOF results were released in October 2022 and showed that York is in the upper quartile for performance with 46% of adults in contact with secondary mental health services living independently, compared with the England average of 26% and 32% regionally. The definition used for this indicator has changed from prior years, and therefore the current figures cannot be compared with previous ones. The Care Programme Approach has been decommissioned and this indicator now includes all people in contact with secondary mental health services, rather than just those on the Care Programme Approach.
31 The 2021-22 ASCOF results showed that 17% of all those in contact with secondary mental health services in employment, compared with the England average of 6% and 8% regionally. York is the 6th best performing LA in the country on this indicator. As above, the definition used for this indicator has changed from prior years, due to the decommissioning of the Care Programme Approach, and therefore the current figures cannot be compared with previous ones.
Overall satisfaction of people who use services with their care and support
32 Data at LA and national level for 2021-22 was published in October 2022, and the data shows that there has been a decrease in satisfaction levels experienced by York’s ASC users compared with 2020-21 (down from 72% to 65%). This has been mirrored at a national level (a decrease from 68% to 64%) as ASC users have found life increasingly difficult.
33 Outcomes from the 2021-22 Survey of Adult Carers in England were published in June 2022, and although there was a decrease in the percentage saying that they were “extremely or very” satisfied with their care and support (40% compared with 43% in 2018-19, the last time the Survey was carried out), York remained in the upper quartile for performance on this indicator amongst the 149 LAs that carried it out; the average for England as a whole was 36%.
% of reception year children recorded as being obese (single year)
34 Provisional data for 2021-22 is available. In York, 97.5% of reception aged children and 94.9% of year 6 children were measured in 2021-22. 8.8% of reception aged children in York were found to be obese compared with 10.4% in England. 19.0% of year 6 children in York were found to be obese compared with 23.5% in England. The final validated data for 2021-22 is expected to be published in November 2022.
Healthy Life expectancy at birth – Female/Male (slope index of inequality)
35 Average Life Expectancy and Healthy Life Expectancy for men in York (79.9 years and 65.3 years) is above the England average (79.4 years and 63.1 years). Average Life Expectancy and Healthy Life Expectancy for women in York (83.6 years and 64.6 years) is also above the England average (83.1 years and 63.9 years).
36 The slope index of inequality shows how much life expectancy at birth varies with deprivation. A higher figure shows a greater disparity between the more deprived and the less deprived areas. Alternative measures are the difference in life expectancy between the most and least deprived deciles in an area and the difference in life expectancy between the deprivation deciles with the highest and lowest values.
37 Deprivation deciles are drawn up using data from the 2019 Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). The Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) in York are ranked from 1 to 120 on the overall IMD measure and then divided into local deprivation deciles with 12 LSOAs in each.
38 The slope index of inequality in life expectancy for women in York for 2018-20 is 5.7 years. The England average is 7.9 years with a range of 1.2 to 13.9 years. In York there is a 7 year difference in life expectancy between the most and least deprived deciles and a 7.9 year difference between the deprivation deciles with the highest and lowest life expectancy.
39 The slope index of inequality in life expectancy for men in York for 2018-20 is 8.4 years. The England average is 9.7 years with a range of 2.6 to 17.0 years. In York there is a 10.3 year difference in life expectancy between the most and least deprived deciles and a 10.3 year difference between the deprivation deciles with the highest and lowest life expectancy.
40 The slope index of inequality in life expectancy for women in York for 2018-20 (5.7 years) has fallen (improved) compared with the figure of 6.2 years in the previous period 2017-19 and is similar to the first published value of 5.8 years for 2008-10.
41 The slope index of inequality in life expectancy for men in York for 2018-20 (8.4 years) has been fairly stable in recent periods e.g. it was 8.4 years in 2016-18, however it has increased (worsened) compared with the first published value of 6.4 years for 2008-10.
% of adults (aged 16+) that are physically active (150+ moderate intensity equivalent minutes per week, excluding gardening)
· 67% of people in York did more than 150 minutes of physical activity per week compared with 61% nationally and 60% regionally. There has been no significant change in the York value from that 12 months earlier.
· 24% of people in York did fewer than 30 minutes per week compared with 27% nationally and 28% regionally. There has been no significant change in the York value from that 12 months earlier.
A Better Start for Children and Young People
44 We continue to have a high proportion of children who are placed with parents, in comparison to our statistical family. Children’s Social Care have started work on discharging the care orders of these children and young people in a safe way, which has resulted in a slight reduction.
45 The number of children who were the subject of a child protection plan was 177 at the end of September 2022, following a peak in August of 191. At 48 plans per 10k population, performance is noticeably above York’s expected range and higher than comparator averages (family 31.8 per 10k, national 41.4 per 10k).
46 The number of referrals to children’s social care at the end of Q2 is level with the past two years at just over 800. Re-referral performance (within 12 months of a previous referral) also remains stable and in line with benchmarks.
47 The number of contacts to Early Help in the year to date is level with 2020-21, and slightly lower than last year.
Voice of the Child
48 Advocacy casework for children and young people who are in care or leaving care, going through the child protection process or wanting to make a complaint has continued to be provided throughout this period. Between July and September 2022, Speak Up received a total of 10 referrals for advocacy; these consisted of 7 referrals for children and young people in care, 1 referral for a young person subject to a Child Protection Plan, 1 referral for a care leaver and 1 referral for a young person aged 16 or 17 and homeless.
Secondary school persistent absence rate
49 The Department for Education did not report persistent absence during COVID-19 due to school closures. 2020-21 national data has recently been released showing that 14.8% of secondary age pupils were persistently absent during the academic year, compared to 12.1% of York secondary pupils. 2021-22 academic year data for York pupils will be available next quarter.
% of children who have achieved a Good level of Development (GLD) at Foundation Stage
50 There is no data for 2019-20 or 2020-21 as the tests were cancelled due to the pandemic. Key Stage tests took place in summer 2022 and data will be available at the end of Q3.
Education Progression (Average Progress 8 score from KS2 to KS4)and GCSE Results (% of pupils achieving 9-4 in English and Maths at KS4)
51 Progress 8 is a measure of the progress made by pupils between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4. A positive score represents progress above the average for all pupils and a negative score progress below the average for all pupils.
52 In 2020 and 2021, due to COVID-19, all GCSE, AS and A level exams were cancelled and replaced by a combination of teacher assessment, mock exam results, course work and a standardised calculation.
53 The Department for Education did not release data for 2019-20 or 2020-21 due to the way in which Key Stage 4 results were calculated. Key Stage tests took place in summer 2022 and data will be available at the end of Q3.
% point gap between disadvantaged pupils (eligible for FSM in the last 6 years, looked after and adopted from care) and their peers achieving 9-4 in English and Maths at KS4
54 The DfE did not release data for 2019-20 or 2020-21 due to the way in which Key Stage 4 results were calculated due to COVID-19. Key Stage tests took place in summer 2022 and data will be available at the end of Q3.
55 Reducing the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers is a key priority in all phases of education across 0-19 years.
% of 16-17 year olds who are NEET who do not have a L2 qualification
56 The number of all 16-17 year olds in York who are NEET remains consistent at 13 young people at the end of September 2022.
57 Historically, NEET trends follow the academic year, with increases over the summer months when a small number of 16 year olds finish school without a plan for September.
58 At the end of September 2022, all of the young people who were NEET did not have a Level 2 qualification. The number of young people who are NEET is very low in York, so high levels are not unexpected. Performance is largely in line with historical performance.
A Greener and Cleaner City
Percentage of household waste sent for reuse, recycling or composting
59 The latest provisional data for the amount of household waste sent for reuse, recycling or composting was 47.1% within Q1 2022-23 which is a slight increase from 46.3% during Q1 2021-22. This is a positive start to the year because this is alongside a reduction of 850 tonnes of overall household waste to 22,000 tonnes.
Residual household waste per household (kg/household)
60 The latest provisional residual waste (i.e. non-recyclable) per household data shows that figures have decreased during Q1 2022-23 to 125.5kg (from 132.4kg in Q1 2021-22). This decrease is due to the reduction in 850 tonnes of overall household waste.
Incidents - Fly tipping / Rubbish / Cleansing (includes dog fouling, litter and all other cleansing cases) / Graffiti – On Public/Private Land
61 The number of service calls received during 2021-22 due to fly-tipping (2,069) had reduced from the 2,277 received during 2020-21. There have been 1,260 calls received during the first six months of 2022-23 suggesting that the figures for 2022-23 may rise above those seen in previous years.
62 The number of service calls received during 2021-22 due to street cleansing (including dog fouling and litter) (2,150) had increased slightly from 1,990 in 2020-21. There have been 1,129 calls received during the first six months of 2022-23 suggesting that the figures are continuing to rise.
63 The number of service calls received due to graffiti decreased from 479 in 2020-21 to 452 in 2021-22. However, due to increased CYC pro-active activity, the figures during the second half of 2021-22 were steadily increasing and figures of 402 for the first six months of 2022-23 suggest overall figures for 2022-23 will be much higher than seen previously.
64 To help tackle graffiti on private property, CYC have entered into a trial with Virgin O2 to assist the cleansing and painting of their utilities boxes. Discussions are currently underway with other utilities providers to extend the trial to their infrastructure, with a number of companies agreeing in principle to move to new arrangements when their existing contracts come to an end.
Air Quality
65 The Public Protection team recently appeared at and provided evidence to the Local Plan hearing regarding the air quality implications of the Local Plan.
66 Public Protection continue to ensure that emissions and air quality impacts from new developments are appropriately assessed and mitigated. Our Low Emission Planning Guidance note has been updated to reflect changes to Building Regulations as outlined in Approved Document S: Infrastructure for the charging of electric vehicles. CYC continues to specify electric vehicle charging requirements through the planning process.
67 Public Protection continue the rollout of the DEFRA funded Low Emission Taxi Grant scheme and welcomed further hybrid and electric taxis to the York fleet. Approximately 31% of the York fleet are now using electric or petrol hybrid vehicles.
68 Public Protection has contacted all solid fuel suppliers (Sep 2022) in and around York to remind them of their legal responsibilities with respect to the sale and delivery of solid fuels within CYC’s Smoke Control areas. We continue our compliance checks across solid fuel distribution outlets to ensure that all solid fuels being sold are certified as ‘Ready to Burn’ in line with the Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020. Public Protection submitted a bid to DEFRA’s Air Quality Grant Scheme in September to undertake further promotional work in 2023 around the links between domestic solid fuel burning, particulate emissions and impacts on health.
69 Our 2022 Air Quality Annual Status report was approved by DEFRA (August 2022) who commented that ‘the report is incredibly detailed and satisfies the criteria of relevant standards. City of York Council should continue with this good quality of work’. The Annual Status Report details the latest air quality monitoring results for York and progress on achieving measures in York’s current Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP3) to deliver further improvements in air quality. Air quality is improving and pollution is reducing in most of the city and all but three areas now comply with the health-based air quality objectives.
Carbon Emissions
70 Recent figures within the table above should be seen in context of the overall direction of travel as reported within the Climate Change Strategy, in that since 2005, city-wide emissions have fallen by 39% due to a combination of increasingly decarbonised electricity supply, structural change in the economy, and the gradual adoption of more efficient buildings, vehicles and businesses.
Net Zero Carbon Pathway for York from Climate Change Strategy
Trees Planted
71 During 2021-22, there were 73 trees planted, compared to 271 in 2020-21. The trees planted were of the larger variety and included a mix of 20 Limes and Maples along Monks Cross Link Road. Due to the seasonal nature of tree planting, data for 2022-23 will be available in April 2023.
% of Talkabout panel who think that the council and partners are doing well at improving green spaces
72 Talkabout panel surveys are run twice a year in Q1 and Q3 and therefore there is no update in this monitor. Previous data is shown within the table.
Creating Homes and World-class infrastructure
New Additional Homes Provided
73 Between 1st April 2022 and 30th September 2022 there were a total of 337 net housing completions. This represents a near return to pre-pandemic levels of housing completions and the figures are similar to those achieved in both 2018 and 2019 for the same 6-month monitoring period. However, this year’s figures are heavily influenced by the completion of 232 student flats at Frederick House, Fulford Road and with labour and materials shortages still being experienced by housebuilders, these factors continue to affect housing delivery rates throughout the authority area.
74 Some of the main features of the housing completions have been;
· 232 student cluster flats were completed at Frederick House, Fulford Road in time for the new academic year;
· 107 homes were competed on housing sites;
· A total of 319 new build homes were completed whilst 3 homes were demolished;
· Individual sites that saw the construction of five or less dwellings contributed an additional 42 homes, and
· Development sites at the Germany Beck site in Fulford (40) and the Former Lowfield School site (16) were the most significant individual sites that provided housing completions, whilst the first completions at the Former Civil Service Club, Boroughbridge Road (4) also took place.
Net Housing Consents
75 Planning applications determined between 1st April 2022 and 30th September 2022 resulted in the approval of 467 net additional homes. Compared to last year’s update covering the same equivalent monitoring period this represents a return to a level of consents needed to meet our housing requirement.
76 The main features of the consents approved were;
· 261 of all net homes consented (55.9%) were granted on traditional (Use Class C3) housing sites;
· Sites granted approval for traditional (Use Class C3) housing included Development Site Hospital Fields Road and Ordnance Lane (85), Os Field 2800 Eastfield Lane Dunnington (83), and Cherry Tree House 218 Fifth Avenue (48);
· Approval was granted for two privately managed student accommodation developments that totalled 208 ‘cluster’ flats at Mecca Bingo 68 Fishergate (104) and Alton Cars York Ltd 3 James Street (104) and represents 44.5% of all approvals over the monitoring period;
· A further 158 homes in Copmanthorpe were approved through a resolution to grant consent by councillors with the application being referred to the Secretary of State for determination;
· An application on Land North of Monks Cross that is allocated within the draft Local Plan (ST8) for 970 homes went to appeal in January 2022 due to non-determination and a decision from the Secretary of State is imminent. Indications are that CYC Planning Committee would have approved this scheme if the Local Plan had been adopted, and
· A further application for circa 300 homes at Huntington South Moor, New Lane also went to appeal in January and has been sent to the Secretary of State for consideration. CYC do not support this site for development.
Number of homeless households with dependent children in temporary accommodation
77 The latest available data shows that there were 28 homeless households with dependent children in temporary accommodation at the end of 2021-22 which is 57% of total households in temporary accommodation, an increase from 33% at the start of the year. The national figures for England consistently showed throughout 2021-22 that around 62% of households in temporary accommodation were households with children. With increasing costs of living and demand for new housing the figures may suggest York is catching up to the national picture in this area although still a little below the benchmark. It should be noted that these figures are snapshot figures and therefore may fluctuate between the snapshot dates.
Average number of days to re-let empty Council properties (excluding temporary accommodation)
79 The Building Services department continues to experience significant challenges associated with the national issues of significant competition for skilled tradespeople and the shortage of building materials. This is in addition to the service continuing to work through the pent up demand for the service following the full release of lockdown restrictions. At the start of the calendar year, an “Action Plan” was created to support improvement through these challenges. The total number of void properties at the end of September 2022 was 89, which although still very high, has reduced from a peak of 152 at the end of Q2 2021-22.
Energy efficiency – Average SAP rating for all Council Homes
80 The provisional average SAP rating for all Council homes in 2021-22 is 70.6. This is primarily based on our stock condition survey of 2019. A large scale stock appraisal exercise is underway as part of development of an energy efficiency and retrofit strategy for council homes, a process which includes work with carbon reduction analysts, Parity Projects Portfolio, to model energy performance, and identify the most cost-effective route to net-zero. One key output of this work will be a detailed analysis of multiple sources of energy performance data, however further property surveys are needed in order to update the current estimate. It is also noted that the numerous sources that have been utilised to date in this exercise support this estimate.
Number of new affordable homes delivered in York
81 There were 224 new affordable homes delivered in York during 2021-22 which was a large increase on the 130 delivered during 2020-21.
82 During the first six months of 2022-23 there have been 38 new affordable homes delivered which is a large reduction from previous years. A further 120 affordable homes completions are currently expected during 2022-23, which would constitute a total of 158 in the year. It is important to note that significant change is possible in the final outturn where, for example, unanticipated site or market factors result in some delay to completion beyond the financial year end.
83 There is a significant future pipeline of affordable homes with planning permission in place across the council’s own newbuild development programme and section 106 planning gain negotiated affordable housing. Inclusive of applications with a resolution to approve from Planning Committee, there are around 950 affordable homes identified in approved planning applications. The progress ranges from sites that are being built out currently to others with substantial infrastructure or remediation challenges to resolve prior to development. Over 350 of these have progressed through detailed planning, either as a Full application or Reserved Matters. The remainder are at Outline stage, with more uncertainty on timescales and final delivery levels, including the York Central affordable housing contribution.
84 Affordable housing completions fluctuate on a quarterly basis with more delivery expected in the second half of 2022-23. Looking further ahead, the Local Plan progress this year and the council’s own ambitious new build development programme is expected to lead to an acceleration of affordable housing delivery in future years.
Superfast broadband availability/Average broadband download speed (Mbs)
85 In 2021-22, 95.5% of properties in York had access to superfast broadband, which compares to 94.1% in 2020-21. This increase can be attributed to the Council’s continued work with service providers to improve infrastructure.
86 The average broadband download speed in York in 2021-22 was 159.3 Mb/s, which compares to 147.1 Mb/s in 2020-21 and 56.1 Mb/s in 2019-20. The national benchmark download speed is 82.6 Mb/s in 2021-22. This data is provided by an Ofcom panel of consumers so should be treated as an indication rather than actual figures.
Safe Communities and culture for all
% of Talkabout panel satisfied with their local area as a place to live
87 Talkabout panel surveys are run twice a year in Q1 and Q3 and therefore there is no update in this monitor. Previous data is shown within the table.
All Crime per 1000 population
Number of Incidents of ASB within the city centre (Alcohol Restriction Zone)
90 Across the city as a whole, there were 1,351 calls for service recorded by North Yorkshire Police linked to anti-social behaviour during Q2 2022-23. This is lower than during the same reporting period in previous years (1,704 in Q2 2021-22 and 2,105 in Q2 2020-21).
Visits - All Libraries
91 Library visits (to all libraries, including reading cafes) during 2021-22 totalled 617,771, which is a large increase on the 183,706 visits during 2020-21. This shows a very positive direction of travel, although the 2021-22 figure is still a long way below the pre-pandemic figures (1,023,034 visits in 2019-20).
92 There were 226,066 library visits in Q2 2022-23 which compares with 298,937 in the same period in 2019-20 (pre-pandemic), suggesting the positive direction of travel is continuing. The quarterly figures have increased every quarter since before the pandemic.
% of Talkabout panel who agree that they can influence decisions in their local area
93 Talkabout panel surveys are run twice a year in Q1 and Q3 and therefore there is no update in this monitor. Previous data is shown within the table.
% of Talkabout panel who give unpaid help to any group, club or organisation
94 Talkabout panel surveys are run twice a year in Q1 and Q3 and therefore there is no update in this monitor. Previous data is shown within the table.
Parliament Street Footfall
An open and effective Council
Average Sickness Days per FTE - CYC (Excluding Schools)
96 At the end of August 2022, the average number of sickness days per FTE (rolling 12 months) had increased to 13 days from 9.1 in August 2021. In 2020-21, sickness had reduced in the authority by approximately 2 days per FTE, to 8.8 days per FTE, which is close to the LGA public sector for Yorkshire and Humber authorities average of 8 days. Since the start of Covid, although exact comparative figures are not yet available, all authorities in Yorkshire and Humber are reporting a significant increase in sickness levels within the whole workforce due to both Covid cases and increased pressures in frontline services.
97 On top of day-to-day managerial practices for sickness cases, additional work is underway to assist and remind managers of the support and services that employees can access as well as the managerial role in ensuring the wellbeing and absence management of those employees absent, or those who remain at work but showing signs of reduced resilience. Managers are being reminded of the importance of timely absence support for individuals and teams, and employees are reminded of the self care that they need to exercise to ensure that they are able to perform their roles effectively.
98 CYC still has a number of Covid cases throughout staffing structure and although now falling will contribute to increases overall sickness figure. Internally, business continuity plans are in place to ensure that services are able to be resilient to the fluctuating peaks and troughs of Covid infections, and it is likely that absence levels associated with Covid will return in the late Autumn / Winter, when combined with other reason for absence, which will further impact on our absence levels.
Customer Services Waiting Times (Phone / Footfall / Webchat etc)
99 Customer Service is the main point of contact for residents and business visitors. Demand was higher than usual during Q2 due to new demand such as; supporting customer enquiries/applications for the £150 energy rebate scheme and the household support fund and higher than usual seasonal demand following a new approach to the annual electoral canvass. The number of calls received increased to 59,338 (56,253 in Q1 2022-23), with 70% answered (44,158). 27.1% of calls were answered within 20 seconds.
100 The data for footfall to West Offices is still to be confirmed due to changes in systems. In addition to speaking to customers over the phone, the customer service team also responded to 13,981 e-mails (13,380 in the previous quarter). Customer satisfaction is 63%, with high wait times cited as the main reason for dis-satisfaction responses. This should improve as wait times reduce.
101 Customers are continuing to opt to access services using alternative means:
· 8,798 customers made payments using the auto payments facility
· 14,897 people used the auto operator
· 54% of issues available to report online were reported by customers on-line
· There were around 900 thousand pages of the CYC website reviewed
Number of days to process Benefit claims (currently Housing Benefit)
102 The average number of days taken to process a new Housing Benefit claim, or a change in circumstance, has remained stable, being just over three days during 2021-22. York performance is above the most recent national average of 4.98 days (2020-21).
103 The first quarter of 2022-23 saw the introduction of the Energy Rebate (£150), the second Houshold Support Fund (HSF) and payment to qualifying businesses of the Covid Additional Relief Fund (CARF). This support ran through to the end of the second quarter (30th Sep). The YFAS fund aimed at keeping residents in the community, and providing emergency payments, continues to operate as normal. A new HSF scheme will start on the 1st October through to the end of March 2023.
104 Business and Welfare support provided at the end of the second quarter of 2022-23 includes:
· Household Support Fund – 8,332 payments to families totalling £1,006,782
· 60,516 Energy Rebate payments of £150 and 13,863 credits of £150 to Council Tax accounts which accounts for 100% of qualifying residents
· 76 Discretionary Energy Rebate payments of £150 totalling £11,400 (this scheme runs until the end of November)
· CARF payments to 1,000 businesses totalling £4.5m
· 626 YFAS payments totalling £143k
· 98 Discretionary Housing Payments totalling £87k
% of 4C’s Complaints responded to ‘In Time’ / % of Grade 1 4C’s Complaints responded to ‘In Time’
107 Regular updates on apprenticeships within CYC and York are submitted to the Decision Sessions for Economy and Strategic Planning and the Staffing Matters and Urgency Committee. The most recent publication can be found here: https://democracy.york.gov.uk/documents/s161342/SMUC%20Apprentices.pdf
FOI/EIR and SAR - % In time
108 In Q2 2022-23, although there has been a decrease in the number of FOIs (Freedom of Information Act requests) and EIRs (Environmental Information Regulation requests) received compared to the same reporting period in 2021-22 (159 FOIs in Q2 2022-23 compared to 263 in Q2 2021-22 and 148 EIRs in Q2 2022-23 compared to 156 in Q2 2021-22), we have improved the percentage of both FOIs and EIRs responded to in time (82.9% of FOIs in Q2 2022-23 compared to 76.7% in Q2 2021-22 and 93.0% of EIRs in Q2 2022-23 compared to 80.1% in Q2 2021-22).
109 There has been an increase in the number of SARs (subject access to records request) received compared to the same reporting period in 2021-22 (29 in Q2 2022-23 compared to 24 in Q2 2021-22), and we continue to improve the percentage of SARs responded to in time (69.2% in Q2 2022-23 compared to 65.2% in Q2 2021-22).