Agenda item

That the recommendations from the Neighbourhoods & Community Services Scrutiny Panel be noted and the following actions be agreed:

• That the Cabinet receive a further report in April 2015 to review the current level of accuracy of RTPI and to set a target for Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) accuracy within a suitable timeframe.

• That the Commissioner for Social & Economic Inclusion report back to the NCS Scrutiny Panel in summer / early autumn 2015.

Street cleaning:

• That, if financially viable, housing land be included in the next contract.

• That to ensure improved monitoring of contractors’ work, SBC monitor street cleanliness on:
  • The day of the contractor inspection; and
  • The day of cleaning.

The Cabinet received a report including recommendations from the Neighbourhoods & Community Services (NCS) Scrutiny Panel in relation to Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) for bus services and street cleaning.

RTPI

The Cabinet noted that the NCS Scrutiny Panel had recommended the following points in relation to RTPI:

·  “That the Panel recommend Cabinet reviews the current level of accuracy of RTPI in order to set a target for RTPI accuracy and a suitable timeframe.

·  That the responsible Cabinet member is recommended to report back to the NCS Scrutiny Panel in six months (summer / early autumn 2015).

·  That the Panel recommends that no further capital expenditure on RTPI be made until the Cabinet is satisfied that worthwhile levels of RTPI will be achieved.”

Commissioners welcomed the work that the Scrutiny Panel had conducted and agreed that further action was needed to improve accuracy which was 26% at the time of the report to scrutiny and currently 59%.  Members expressed frustration about the levels of performance given the significant Council investment and asked about the actions First were taking to ensure the system worked properly and the sanctions available to the Council if accuracy did not reach acceptable levels.  It was therefore agreed to receive a further report at the next meeting in April which addressed these concerns and set an ambitious target for RTPI accuracy and that the Commissioner for Social & Economic Inclusion would report progress to the Scrutiny Panel in the summer or early autumn.  The Cabinet were advised that there would be an impact on major schemes, including the Curve and Slough, Burnham and Langley stations, if capital investment was halted and they agreed not to approve this recommendation at the present time.

Street Cleaning

The Cabinet considered the request to approve the following points in relation to street cleaning:

·  “That the Panel recommends that, if financially viable, housing land be included in the next contract.

·  That the Panel recommends that, to ensure improved monitoring of contractors’ work, SBC monitor street cleanliness on

a)  The day of the contractor inspection; and

b)  The day of cleaning.

  This is in preference to the present system of random locations which has lacked sufficient focus.”

In line with discussions earlier in the meeting (minute 103 refers), Commissioners agreed that including housing land in the street cleaning contract and the monitoring arrangements would be considered as part of the re-commissioning process.

Resolved –  That the recommendations from the Neighbourhoods & Community Services Scrutiny Panel be noted and the following actions be agreed:

  Real Time Passenger Information

(a)  That the Cabinet receive a further report in April 2015 to review the current level of accuracy of RTPI and to set a target for Real Time Passenger Information (RTPI) accuracy within a suitable timeframe.

(b)  That the Commissioner for Social & Economic Inclusion report back to the NCS Scrutiny Panel in summer / early autumn 2015.

Street cleaning:

(c)  That, if financially viable, housing land be included in the next contract.

(d)  That to ensure improved monitoring of contractors’ work, SBC monitor street cleanliness on: