An annual report looking at how Caerphilly County Borough Council is performing across its services has been agreed by the authority.
As part of the Council’s Improvement Plan 2009/12, an annual report is produced and published to review the Council’s performance and ensure that the targets set out within the four different themes of the Improvement Plan are progressing.
The report was considered at a meeting of Full Council on October 12th. Leader of the Council, Cllr Lindsay Whittle said, “I am very pleased to see that overall Caerphilly County Borough Council is moving forward positively. Local residents and businesses should be encouraged, especially in the current climate, that we have not lost sight of the need to continually strive to improve our services.”
He continued, “These pleasing results, across all four of the overarching themes we set out last year, namely Building Better Communities For All, Building Better Lifestyles, Building Vibrant Economies and Building Futures, Changing Lives, are encouraging and we as a Council are committed to ensuring these results continue to be built upon over the coming year”.
Some of the most notable achievements to date include: –
- Caerphilly County Borough Council is now the top authority in Wales for recycling, with a significant 10% increase on last year’s target. The Council now recycles more than 50% of its waste.
- It is also among the top Councils for inspecting high-risk premises such as restaurants and butchers shops, with a 100% record.
- There is a distinct decrease in the number of young people entering into the youth justice system for the first time, which coupled with the ongoing work of the Safer Caerphilly Community Safety Partnership, of which the Council is a key statutory member, emphasizes how it is getting tough on crime and disorder.
- Council House tenants have benefited from the improvements in emergency repairs, which are now completed within just half a day.
- The Council has started with an ambitious target to reduce its carbon footprint in many different ways and this year has saved nearly 60 tonnes more in its emissions.
- The Council is also making its role in looking after adults a more positive experience and against most of its performance measures for this service is among the best in Wales.
- Despite the current economic climate, the Council has surpassed its target in Building Vibrant Economic, creating 200 new jobs and safeguarding an additional 434.
- While some of the Council’s tourist attractions are maintaining their visitor numbers despite the recession, Cwmcarn Forest Drive has found itself a lucrative market with the mountain bike fraternity and has substantially increased its visitor numbers.
- This year’s GCSE and A Level results continue to show improvement across Caerphilly County Borough Council’s schools.
Cllr Whittle continued, “Some of the achievements outlined in the report such as the recycling targets illustrate that Caerphilly County Borough Council truly is one of the leading local authorities in Wales.”
“Despite some excellent achievements however, this will not detract us from our overall ambition to continue to build upon these results and tackle areas where performance is perhaps not meeting the standards we need to deliver to the public.”
To view a copy of the Improvement Plan 2009/12, please visit www.caerphilly.gov.uk.
