Performance Self- Assessment Report 2022/2023

Foreword

This year proved a particularly challenging one, for our citizens and for us as an organisation.

As we worked to recover from the effects of the pandemic, we faced numerous economic shocks, including a cost-ofliving crisis, price instability, escalating inflation, low consumer confidence, tightened financial conditions and slower economic growth. We are also facing the immediate challenge of transitioning to a carbonneutral society.

Maintaining our performance in light of these forces has never been more difficult.

In 2022, we refocused our priorities and alongside our partners, updated the longterm Community Plan for the Borough.

We supported our citizens, particularly those who were increasingly vulnerable to the impact of these various crises,

and worked closely with our communities to deliver much needed practical support.

We commissioned a Citizens’ Survey to gain a comprehensive understanding of how our residents viewed us as a Council and the area as a place to live, and developed our Performance Improvement Plan for 2023/24 based on the improvements you wanted to see.

We worked tirelessly to assess our finances and operations to ensure we could strike an affordable rate for the Borough, whilst continuing to deliver our vital services effectively.

We want to continue to improve our organisation. We want our employees to be happy and motivated to provide the best service possible for our citizens, businesses, and visitors. We must continue to adapt to our changing landscape, to transform our operations for the better. It is up to all of us to support the Council in doing so.

We welcome the opinion of our citizens, businesses, employees, Elected Members, and service users at any time throughout the year.

If you have an idea for improvement, we would like to hear from you. Please contact us at performance@ midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Valerie Watts Interim Chief Executive

As the Interim Chief Executive of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, I welcome you to our Performance Self-Assessment Report for 2022/23.

What we are responsible for

We

What we are not responsible for

There are some common misconceptions about what we are responsible for, and whilst we do not deliver the services outlined here, your elected representatives can advocate and make representations on your behalf to these organisations, and others.

For enquiries relating to: Roads, potholes, footpaths, street lights, bridges and on-street car parking

Contact:

Department for Infrastructure infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For enquiries relating to: Water and sewerage, including septic tank clearance

Contact: Northern Ireland Water niwater.com

For enquiries relating to: Electricity

Contact: Northern Ireland Electricity nie.co.uk

For enquiries relating to: Rates

Contact: Land and Property Services nidirect.gov.uk/rates

For enquiries relating to: Housing

Contact: Housing Executive nihe.gov.uk

For enquiries relating to: Penalty Charge Notice issued at of-street car parking

Contact: NSL nidirect.gov.uk/ challengeparkingticket

For enquiries relating to: Flooding

Contact: Flooding Incident Line 0300 200 0100 (24 hour)

Executive Summary

A summary of our performance is presented below, in line with the requirements of the Local Government Act (NI) 2014:

• Our arrangements to secure continuous improvement

• Our performance in achieving our Improvement Objectives, statutory standards, and self-imposed performance indicators

• Benchmarking.

Arrangements to secure continuous improvement

Strengths:

• Performance Management Framework - our framework helps to drive performance management and continuous improvement at every level within our organisation, by linking our strategic aims to the work plans of every employee.

• Governance - our framework is supported by governance procedures that ensure oversight and accountability for all business. The area of performance sits within the remit of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee. The Committee considers internal and external audit, and the monitoring, assessment and review of annual Business Plans, the Performance Improvement Plan, and the Agile Framework.

• Identifying areas for improvement - our key plans and strategies are informed by listening to our citizens, businesses, community groups, employees, and Elected Members. The Community Plan for the borough, developed with widespread engagement and consultation, was updated in 2022. Our Performance Improvement Plan undergoes a public consultation every year, and our citizens’ survey 2022 will help us to shape our plans based on what they feel is most important for the area.

• Measuring performanceWe use a wide variety of indicators to measure our performance, including those set out within the Performance Improvement Plan, statutory targets, and the self-imposed indicators of our Corporate Plan and annual business plans.

• Electronic Performance Management Systemthis system streamlines our planning processes, and supports the setting, approval and validation of objectives, key performance indicators and targets. It allows for more accurate, strategically relevant, timely and visually impactful reporting.

• External Audit - In November 2022, the Local Government Auditor found that the Council had discharged its duties in connection with (1) improvement planning and (2) publication of improvement information in accordance with section 92 of the Act and has acted in accordance with the Department for Communities’ guidance sufficiently. We accepted and actioned the ‘Proposal for Improvement’.

• Internal Audit - we commissioned and implemented recommendations from two internal audits, the first in 2017, the second in 2019/20.

Areas for improvement:

• Performance Management Framework - the framework will be revised in 2023/24 to align with any changes in our performance arrangements.

• Audit - two prior year ‘Proposals for Improvement’ remain in progress. We will continue to participate in the Performance Improvement Working Group to progress their implementation.

Executive Summary (Continued)

Strengths

Improvement Objectives

• The Performance Improvement Plans for 2022/23 and 2023/24 were both published before the statutory deadline.

• The 2022/23 year was particularly challenging, as we felt the impact of various economic crises, and continued to navigate the effects of the global pandemic. Our Improvement Plan focused on meeting the needs of our citizens, while remaining adaptable to our environment.

• There were six Improvement Objectives within the Performance improvement Plan for 2022/23, which aligned with all seven Improvement Areas set out in the Local Government Act (NI) 2014. Each objective was supported by a Project Initiation Document, which outlined the outcomes and indicators used to track progress.

• Within the year, 50% of outcomes and 58% of key performance indicators were achieved or on track. 30% of outcomes and 23% of indicators were delayed but still progressing. 15% of outcomes and 12% of indicators were either not achieved or stopped. 5%

of outcomes and 7% of indicators were either not due for completion or data was not available at the time of reporting.

• Where possible, ongoing, or outstanding indicators from the Performance Improvement Plan 2022/23 were included within the Improvement Objectives for 2023/24.

Statutory key performance indicators

• Statutory indicators and standards are outlined in our annual business plans, and where possible, within our Improvement Objectives. We also set our own internal targets within these areas to help to ensure continuous improvement.

• Of the seven standards, we achieved five in 2022/23. Annual data was not available for one indicator, and one standard was not achieved.

• We were the top performing council in the region for the number of jobs promoted through business start-up activity, achieving 46% over target. This is our eighth consecutive year exceeding the target and is a similar result to pre-pandemic levels.

• We were the top performing council in the region for

the average processing time of local planning applications, at 8.6 weeks, one week faster than last year. We were one of three local authorities to meet the standard in 2022/23, with a Northern Ireland average processing time of 19 weeks. We have achieved the standard every year since 2015/16.

• Data is available for the first six months of 2022/23 for the percentage of enforcement cases concluded within 39 weeks. We were the top performing council in the region during this period, achieving 91.2% against a target of 70%. We have achieved this standard every year since 2015/16.

• We achieved all three targets for waste management.

• We have collected more than the minimum 50% household recycling standard for the last six years. In 2022/23, the recycling rate was 51.4%, slightly lower than last year’s result of 51.9%, but aligned with the NI Council average of 52%.

• In 2022/23, we saw an increase in biodegradable waste collected sent to landfill at 14,599 tonnes, up from 14,528 the previous year and the third consecutive rise in the borough since 2019/20.

• We collected less than the 16,387 tonnes allowance set by the Northern Ireland Landfill Allowance’s Scheme, which remained in place up to 2019/20.

• The amount of collected municipal waste arisings fell by over 4% to 73,433 in 2022/23, from 76,689 in 2021/22. We are obligated to collect the amount presented at the kerbside, household recycling centres and commercial waste.

Self-imposed key performance indicators

• These indicators help us track the delivery of our Corporate Plan and annual business plans.

• Our successes over the four-year term of our Corporate Plan are highlighted within this report, and a summary provided on how we performed against our 20 corporate indicators. 80% of our targets were achieved or on track for delivery, 2 were delayed but still progressing and 2 were not achieved. Bi-annual updates on our performance are provided to our Senior Management Team and Full Council.

• Each department within our organisation creates an

annual business plan which aligns with the objectives of our Corporate Plan. Update reports are generated via our performance management system and provided to our Senior Management Team and the Audit and Scrutiny Committee throughout the year. Of the 140 Directorate level key performance indicators, including corporate plan and statutory indicators, 71% were achieved or on track, 21% were delayed but still progressing, 7% were not achieved or stopped and 1% was not due or data was not yet available.

Areas for improvement

• Improvement Objectives –We will progress the delivery of any ongoing previous years’ Improvement Objectives. Updates will continue within the reporting schedule for the Performance Improvement Plan 2023/24, as appropriate.

• Statutory Performance Indicators - At 47.6 weeks, we were within the top three performing councils in the region for the average processing time of major

planning applications. The shortest time was 46.4 weeks, followed closely by 47 weeks. No council met the 30-week standard last year, with an average processing time among the eleven councils of 57.8 weeks. Significant events during the last two years have impacted on planning activity and processing times, including the launch of a new IT planning system.

• Statutory key performance indicators – Until clarity is provided on the statutory waste indicators, moving forward, we will continue to use the Northern Ireland Landfill Allowance’s Scheme 2019/20 allowance as an internal target.

• Self-imposed key performance indicators – We will continue to progress the delivery of indicators classified ‘delayed but progressing’, or ‘not achieved or stopped’, to successful conclusion, as appropriate.

Executive Summary (Continued)

Benchmarking

Strengths:

• Benchmarking and best practice learning are important elements within our performance management toolkit.

• We have participated in the APSE ‘NI Benchmarking Project’ since 2015/16, alongside several other regional councils. As the project develops and stabilises, the data becomes more useful for annual trend analysis and cross-council benchmarking. Data is currently collected for 12 service areas.

• Internally, we make annual comparisons against our Corporate Plan indicators, and within our individual service areas to facilitate continuous improvement.

• In terms of prompt payment performance, at 74%, the percentage of payments made within 10 working days improved for the sixth consecutive year in 2022/23. The Northern Ireland council average is 70%.

Areas for improvement:

• 17.21 days were lost per full-time equivalent employee in 2022/23, the highest level of recorded absence since 2016/17. This increase is mostly attributed to ‘chest and respiratory’ related absences, delays in accessing medical treatment, and employee relations associated absences. Absenteeism will remain a focus for the Council.

• We are committed to the implementation of actions and recommendations succeeding our staff survey.

• For the average percentage of payments made within 30 working days in 2022/23, the Council achieved 87%, a reduction of 8% from the previous year. This was due to the introduction of a new finance system. Additional staff training was provided and resulted in a significant increase in performance.

• The APSE NI Benchmarking Project continues to be reviewed and improved in each financial year, in partnership with other local authorities.

• A corporate approach to benchmarking will be developed in line with recommendations from the Local Government Performance Improvement Working Group, and in conjunction with the Department for Communities and the Northern Ireland Audit Office, through a wider review of the Local Government (NI) Act 2014.

• The Council will continue to avail of best practice opportunities.

Closing remarks: We have worked hard to embed a culture of continuous improvement within our organisation. We know that listening to our stakeholders is fundamental to this goal. Our staff have worked extremely hard to maintain our standards this year, and we will continue to seek opportunities to do better, and to work more efficiently for the benefit of all.

Our 'Duty to Improve'

The Local Government Act (NI) 2014 put in place a framework to support continuous improvement in the delivery of council services.

Under the Act each council has a statutory duty to publish a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) by 30 June each year, which sets out one or more improvement objectives, and to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to achieve them. This is known as our “Duty to Improve”.

For us ‘improvement’ is not limited to gains in service output or efficiencies. It is about focusing on the issues that are important to our citizens and businesses, helping us achieve our vision of improving the quality of life for all.

The Act specifies that the council must also publish a Performance Self-Assessment Report by 30 September each year. This report must include:

1. An assessment of its performance during a fnancial year:

• In discharging its duty to make arrangements to secure continuous improvement.

• In meeting its improvement objectives which are applicable to that year.

• By reference to the statutory performance indicators and self-imposed indicators which are applicable to that year.

2. An assessment of its performance in exercising its functions during a fnancial year as compared with:

• Its performance in previous financial years.

• So far as is reasonably practicable, the performance during that and previous financial years of other councils.

You can view our previous Performance Self-Assessment Reports on our website.

Arrangements to secure continuous improvement

As a council, we developed a Performance Management Framework to drive performance and continuous improvement within the organisation.

We measure and manage performance at every level, with the framework linking together all of our corporate planning processes.

The diagram below shows how the strategic objectives from within the Community Plan and Corporate Plan flow through to the Performance Improvement Plan, annual business plans and, ultimately, to each employee’s work objectives.

Each plan is supported by key performance indicators, both statutory and self-imposed, so that we can continually monitor, review and report on our performance.

Our Performance Management Framework is kept under review to support our “Duty to Improve” and is complimented by our electronic performance management system.

Community Plan (2017 - 2032)

• 15 year vision for the borough

• Led by council

• Developed in partnership with a range of people and organisations from the borough's public, private and voluntary sectors

Corporate Plan

• 4 year strategic plan for council

• Shapes our services

• Drives our annual business planning process

• Ensures everything we do is aimed at achieving our objectives and our vision

Performance Improvement Plan

• Annual improvement plan

• Sets out improvement objectives for the year ahead

• Helps meet objectives of both the Community Plan and the Corporate Plan

Annual Business Plan

• Each service area develops an annual business plan

• Objectives and performance indicators link directly to the Community Plan and Performance Improvement Plan

Employee Personal Development Plan (PDP)

• Each employee develops a PDP annually

• Links employee's work, and learning and development needs to the department objectives, the Corporate Plan and ultimately the Community Plan

Performance Audits

External Audit - Northern Ireland Audit Office

Internal Audit

The

Performance Improvement Plan and our arrangements to secure continuous improvement are subject to an annual audit and assessment by the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO), in accordance with section 93 of the Local Government Act (NI) 2014 and the Code of Audit Practice for local government bodies.

Subject to the General Duty of Improvement being met, the NIAO will issue a Letter of Assurance to both the Council and the Department for Communities.

The most recent audit took place during October and November 2022. The Local Government Auditor certified Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s performance arrangements with an unqualified audit opinion, without modification.

The auditor found:

Improvement planning and publication of improvement information

The Auditor believes the Council has discharged its duties in connection with (1) improvement planning and (2) publication of improvement information in accordance with section 92 of the Act and has acted in accordance with the Department for Communities’ guidance sufficiently.

Improvement assessment

The auditor noted that council continue to operate in a challenging environment with a focus on recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, impacting both on performance and the way in which services are delivered. This changing landscape and refocusing of priorities impacted their ability to rely on past trends in Council’s performance to assess the likelihood of future compliance with Part 12 of the Act.

In light of this, the auditor was unable to reach an opinion on whether the Council is likely to discharge its duties under Part 12 of the Act and act in accordance with the Department for Communities’ guidance sufficiently during 2022/23.

An assessment was not conducted to determine whether the Council is likely to comply with the requirements of Part 12 of the Act in subsequent years, but the need for this will be kept under review as arrangements become more fully established.

No recommendations were made under section 95(2) of the Act. The auditor was not minded to carry out a special inspection under section 95(2) of the Act.

Proposal for Improvement

The Local Government Auditor made one new proposal for improvement, which represents good practice and should assist the Council in meeting its performance improvement responsibilities. The Council accepted and implemented this proposal.

Further detail can be found in Appendix 1, alongside a status update on some previous proposals for improvement.

In 2017, the Council appointed an independent organisation to undertake an audit of our performance improvement arrangements, and to determine the adequacy and effectiveness of our control framework.

In September 2017, the auditor gave a ‘limited’ assurance rating and proposed 13 recommendations for improvement. A follow up review in June 2019 determined 12 of these ‘implemented’ and one ‘partially implemented’. The final recommendation was fulfilled during 2021/22 and related to the timing of the business plan approval process.

A second internal audit was conducted during 2019/20 and focused on our data collection

and validation processes. The auditor assessed a sample of seven of key performance indicators, six from our Corporate Plan and one from our Performance Improvement Plan. In January 2020, the auditor gave a ‘Satisfactory’ level of assurance and proposed three recommendations for improvement. These were determined as ‘implemented’ in a follow-up review in April 2021.

Management, reporting and governance arrangements

The Council’s reporting structures have been designed to ensure proper oversight and accountability for all business, and to provide our Senior Management Team and Elected Members with assurances that our governance arrangements are robust. This helps to ensure transparency, accountability and to further drive continuous improvement.

Audit and Scrutiny Committee s,

and to provide our Senior Management Team and Elected Members with

Community Plan

Report to Frequency

Strategic Alliance Every six months

Community Panel Quarterly

Direct Services Committee As appropriate

Corporate Plan

Report to Frequency

Senior Management Team Every six months

Full Council Every six months

Performance Improvement Plan

Report to Frequency

Full Council (for approval and Performance SelfAssessment Report)

Annually

Senior Management Team Quarterly

Audit and Scrutiny Committee Quarterly

Project boards As appropriate

Directorate Business Plans

Report to Frequency

Senior Management Team Quarterly

Audit and Scrutiny Committee Every six months

The overall purpose and objectives of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee are to ensure that effective arrangements are in place to provide assurance on internal and external audit, risk management, financial management, governance, and internal control.

The Committee provides an oversight to help ensure best practice is complied with to safeguard public funds and to support the aims and objectives of our Corporate Plan.

The key functions that the Committee consider in terms of ‘Performance’ are:

Audit:

• Internal and external audit

Scrutiny: Monitoring, assessment and review of:

• Business Plan performance

• Performance Improvement Plan quarterly performance

• Agile Framework

The Committee met seven times during the 2022/23 financial year (April, June, August, September, October, December 2022, and February 2023).

Identifying areas for improvement

Our key plans and strategies are informed by listening to our citizens, businesses, community groups, employees, and Elected Members.

The Community Plan was developed with widespread engagement and consultation. A review of the plan in 2022 resulted in the streamlining

Our Corporate Plan, in place up to 2023, supported the Community Plan, aligning with its ‘vision’, themes and priorities.

Our Performance Improvement Plan undergoes a public consultation every year to ensure our stakeholders have an opportunity to contribute.

We also commissioned a survey during the summer of 2022, which gave us a thorough understanding of the views of our citizens and helped us to shape our plans based on what

Measuring Performance

We are committed to continuously improving our services and welcome your comments or suggestions for improvement at any time throughout the year. Please get in touch via: performance@ midandeastantrim.gov.uk

If you would like any further information or to request a copy of this plan in an alternative format please contact:

Corporate Performance and Improvement Team

Performance Improvement Plan

The Performance Improvement Plan for 2022/23 focused on meeting the needs of our citizens and adapting to our constantly changing operating environment.

The Plan did not detail every improvement we intended to make but focused on some of the key areas identified for improvement through our community and corporate planning processes, stakeholder engagement and research analysis.

Our six Improvement Objectives for 2022/23 were:

1. Growing the economy and creating jobs.

2. Supporting the historic conservation of Carrickfergus, contributing to the sustainability of the local economy.

3. Supporting MEA citizens’ health and wellbeing by providing quality, inclusive play and recreation facilities, and promoting safe and responsible outdoor recreation.

4. Improving infrastructure to encourage electric vehicle uptake in the Borough to reduce emissions and protect the environment for future generations.

5. Creating an Autism Friendly Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

6. Improve customer engagement and service delivery by enhancing the Council’s use of information technology.

Statutory key performance indicators

The Department for Communities also set statutory targets for councils in the areas of Planning, Economic Development and Waste. These are outlined in our annual business plans, and as far as possible, within our Improvement Objectives. Updates are provided to regional bodies, who issue reports showing comparisons between all eleven Northern Ireland councils.

We also set our own internal targets within these areas. These are laid out within our annual business plans to help ensure continuous improvement.

Self-imposed key performance indicators

We use a wide range of indicators to track the delivery of our Corporate Plan and annual Business Plans throughout the year.

Our Improvement Objectives aligned with the seven Improvement Areas set out in the Local Government Act (NI) 2014:

We use a wide variety of key performance indicators to monitor the delivery of our plans.

Key achievements from our Performance Improvement Plan

327 employability programme participants, 225 qualifications, 60 into employment or self-employment and 21 into further education.

4 outdoor safety training courses delivered, with 130 participants.

Top performing NI council for the average processing time of local planning applications.

124 jobs promoted through the ‘Go for It’ programme.

4 replacement play parks completed.

12 fast electric vehicle chargers secured for Mid and East Antrim.

8 buildings of historical and architectural interest restored in Carrickfergus.

7 autism awareness programmes delivered.

Performance Assessment

Performance Improvement Plan 2022/23

Each of our Improvement Objectives were supported by a Project Initiation Document (PID) which outlined the outcomes and indicators we used to track progress.

The ‘outcomes’ were statements of what we wanted to achieve for our citizens. The ‘indicators’ are how we measured success. Our annual performance is summarised below:

20 Outcomes 26 Indicators

50% of outcomes were achieved or are on track

30% were delayed but progressing

15% were not achieved or stopped

5% were not due or not available

58% of indicators were achieved or are on track

23% were delayed but progressing

12% were not achieved or stopped

7% were not due or not available

We have outlined our progress towards meeting our objectives as follows:

Green Achieved or on track

Amber Delayed but progressing

Red Not achieved or stopped

Grey Not due or not available

Growing the economy and creating jobs

Why?

• You said ‘investment to grow the economy, create jobs and attract tourists’ was one of the most important forms of investment for Council*

• You also ranked ‘improving skills, employability and job prospects’ as the second most important thing that needed to be improved to make your area a good place to live*

• The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an increase in the number of job claimants in the region; a trend observed across almost all council regions in Northern Ireland. As of December 2021, figures remain 25% higher than January 2020**

• Between 2019 to 2021, over 2,410 jobs were lost in Mid and East Antrim***

Who is responsible? Director of Development

* Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Household Survey 2018.

** Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).

*** NISRA Confirmed Redundancy Trend Tables, published February 2022.

What you'll see

Outcomes How did we do this year

12 programmes were delivered over the year:

• The Hydrogen Academy

• Transport 2, Transport 3

How we'll measure progress

Indicators How did we do this year

7 employability programmes or academies delivered by March 2023.

12 programmes delivered.

A series of pre-employment programmes to upskill and enable residents to access employment opportunities that provide a progressive career pathway.

• Get into Childminding

• Access All Areas

• Rise Women Returners

• Community Led Skills

• Get into Retail

• Health and Social Care

• Restaurant Academy cohort 1

• Manufacturing Academy cohort 1

• Female Manufacturing Academy

120 participants engaged.

327 participants engaged across 12 programmes: ‘Hydrogen Academy’ (114), ‘Transport’ cohorts 2 and 3 (45), ‘Childminding’ (15), ‘Access All Areas’ (23), ‘RISE Women Returners’ (21), ‘Community Led Skills’ (50), ‘Get into Retail’ (10), ‘Health and Social Care’ (23), ‘Restaurant Academy’ cohort 1 (9), ‘Manufacturing Academy’ cohort 1 (12), and ‘Female Manufacturing’ (5).

120 qualifications achieved.

225 qualifications achieved: Hydrogen (105), Transport (18), Childminding (45), Access All Areas (6), Community Skills (25), Manufacturing (8), and Female Manufacturing (18).

The promotion of new jobs in the Borough by successfully delivering the ‘Go for It’ Programme.

The ‘Go for It’ programme was successfully delivered, with 124 jobs promoted (46% over the current statutory target of 85) and 207 business plans created during the year.

10 participants progressing to Further Education.

21 participants progressed to further education: Health and Social Care Academy (11), Transport (7), Female Manufacturing (2), and Manufacturing (1).

An effective and efficient Planning Service to maximise economic development.

Annual data has been published for two of three statutory planning indicators, one of which we achieved. For the third indicator, mid-year data has been published. During which time we achieved the standard.

60 participants gaining employment or selfemployment.

85* jobs promoted through ‘Go for It’ by March 2023.

Major Planning applications processed within an average of 30 weeks by March 2023.

Local Planning applications processed within an average of 15 weeks by March 2023.

70% of planning enforcement cases concluded within 39 weeks by March 2023.

60 participants gained employment: Transport (19), Childminding (15), Access All Areas (6), RISE Women Returners (9), Community Skills (5), Health and Social Care (2), Manufacturing (2), and Female Manufacturing (2).

124 jobs promoted.

We achieved an average processing time of 47.6 weeks. No council in Northern Ireland met the standard in 2022/23.

We achieved an average processing time of 8.6 weeks, and were the top performing council in the region for this indicator in 2022/23.

The most recent data available is for the year-to-date period April to September 2022, where a result of 91.2% was achieved.

Supporting

Why?

• Carrickfergus Castle is a key landmark and popular visitor attraction.

• Significant factory closures, changes in buying habits and proximity to Belfast have led to a decline in Carrickfergus’ traditional town centre economy.

Who is responsible? Director of Operations

the historic conservation of Carrickfergus contributing to the sustainability of the local economy

What you'll see How we'll measure progress

Outcomes How did we do this year

Up to 10 buildings of historical and architectural interest restored (including eight existing awarded schemes), through the Townscape Heritage Initiative, with Council and Heritage Lottery grant assistance, by 31 March 2023.*

8 buildings of historical and architectural interest were restored by 31 December 2022. A further two are due to complete by 30 September 2023.

This outcome and relevant key performance indicators continue within the Performance Improvement Plan 2023/24 Improvement Objectives.

Indicators How did we do this year

Up to two new grants awarded by 31 July 2022.

2 new grants were awarded by July 2022.

A total of ten buildings of historical and architectural interest restored by 31 March 2023.

8 buildings were restored by 31 March 2023.

The local community will have a better understanding of built heritage.

A varied education programme was delivered throughout the project’s lifetime, including an ‘Education Pack’, with accompanying resources, which can be downloaded for free from the Council’s website. This pack is aimed at enhancing awareness of Carrickfergus’ history, examining how it has changed and why.

An Education Programme completed by 31 March 2023.

Increased floor space for retail, commercial or residential use by 31 March 2023.

Whilst largely complete, a final booklet will be developed, and a closing event scheduled by 30 October 2023.

This will be established upon completion of the programme.

Increased inward investment and local employment opportunities related both directly and indirectly to heritage and tourism growth.**

The square footage of floor space restored or converted for use will be established upon project completion in September 2023.

* Timescales were updated following funder approval to extend the scheme to 31 March 2023.

** Prior key performance indicators relating to increased town centre footfall and lower vacancy levels were removed. These targets were no longer deemed achievable by March 2023, in light of current economic trends and the on-going impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supporting MEA citizens’ health and wellbeing by providing quality, inclusive play and recreation facilities, and promoting safe and responsible outdoor recreation

Why?

• The need for play is evidenced through the 'Play Strategy' and 'Play Investment Framework' for Mid and East Antrim. We are committed to invest in fixed play in the Borough, and to make play provision more inclusive.

• Our 'Outdoor Recreation Strategy' sets out how the Borough's rich landscape provides excellent opportunities to enhance the health and wellbeing of our residents and visitors. This was particularly evident during the global COVID-19 pandemic. With more and more people engaging in outdoor recreation on our waters and hillsides, it is important that these activities are enjoyed safely.

Who is responsible?

Director of Community

What you'll see How we'll measure progress

Outcomes How did we do this year

The delivery of four replacement Play Parks across the Borough.

Two replacement play parks officially opened to the public in June 2023, and another two completed in July 2023.

This outcome and relevant key performance indicators continue within the Performance Improvement Plan 2023/24 Improvement Objectives.

Indicators How did we do this year

4 replacement play parks by March 2023:

• Ballymena Road, Ahoghill

• Martinstown

• Ferris Park, Larne

• Woodburn, Carrickfergus

Ferris Park in Larne officially opened on 9 June, and Woodburn in Carrickfergus on 15 June 2023.

Works at Ahoghill and Martinstown Play Parks completed on 7 July 2023. Delays were experienced at these sites due to recent significant weather events.

The status of each MUGA or ‘kick-about’ area is as follows:

Three new or upgraded Multi Use Games Areas (MUGAs) or ‘kick about’ areas.

Following some delay, it is anticipated that all three areas will now complete between March and June 2024.

This outcome and relevant key performance indicators also continue within the Performance Improvement Plan 2023/24 Improvement Objectives.

4 courses were delivered by 31 March 2023:

• Rescue Emergency Care 2 (REC2) (May 2022 - 12 participants).

• Stand-Up Paddle Boarding and Kayak Safety, delivered by Sport NI (July 2022 - 37 participants).

3 new or upgraded Multi Use Games (MUGAs) or ‘kick about’ areas by March 2023:

• Portglenone

• Carnlough

• Glynn

• Portglenone: A smaller design option was approved at committee in June 2023. Detailed design and contractor procurement will now progress.

• Glynn: The planning application for the Glynn kickabout went to July Planning committee for approval. Detailed design and contractor procurement will now progress.

• Carnlough: Detailed design and contractor procurement is being progressed.

A minimum of 5 outdoorsafety training courses delivered by March 2023.

5 courses were delivered by 31 May 2023.

A programme of training and development opportunities for people to take part in safe and sustainable outdoor recreation.

• Water Awareness Workshops, delivered by Brendan Prince from the ‘Above Water’ charity (June 2022 - 75 pupils from two local primary schools).

• Hill and Moorland Walk Leader (January 2023 - 6 participants).

The ‘Lowland Walk Leader’ course, scheduled for March 2023, was postponed due to low participation numbers. This outcome is included as a key performance indicator within the Performance improvement Plan 2023/24 Improvement Objectives, with the final course ‘Get Wet Stay Safe’ completing in May 2023.

A minimum of 50 participants across the five programmes. 152 people participated in the 5 courses.

Why?

• The UK Government has announced the phase-out date for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans will be 2030. From 2035, all new cars and vans must be fully zero emission at the tailpipe.

• Improving the borough's electric vehicle infrastructure will facilitate a sustainable transition to low carbon transport systems.

• In a survey conducted in 2021 as a part of the FASTER Project to establish attitudes and behaviour towards transport use, almost 30% of Northern Ireland respondents (464) were from Mid and East Antrim (134). Of these, 34% of respondents who plan to change their vehicle in the next 3 years said they would be likely to purchase a battery electric vehicle.*

Who is responsible?

Director of Operations

*Survey conducted in July 2021 as part of the FASTER project in conjunction with Transport Research Partners.

Improving Infrastructure to encourage electric vehicle uptake in the borough to reduce emissions and protect the environment for future generations

What you'll see How we'll measure progress

Outcomes How did we do this year

A target of three ‘rapid’ electric vehicle chargers (50kW, 80% charge in 20 minutes) installed at strategic locations in the Borough by December 2023, as part of the cross-border FASTER project.*

Due to changes in delivery, by the project lead, it was no longer viable, financially or environmentally, for Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to remain a partner in this project. Therefore, this measure has been deemed as ‘stopped’ and will not be taken forward by Council. It does not form part of the Performance Improvement Plan for 2023/24.

Indicators How did we do this year

Three rapid chargers installed at key strategic locations by December 2023. This project is not being taken forward by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

A minimum of 12 ‘fast’ chargers installed throughout the Borough by September 2023. The chargers are now expected to be installed by March 2024

A minimum of 12 ‘fast’ chargers (22kW, charge in 1 to 2 hours) installed throughout the Council area by September 2023, as part of the On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS).

12 fast chargers are secured for the Borough, with completion now expected by March 2024, following a delay in the tendering process. This outcome forms part of the Performance Improvement Plan 2023/24 Improvement Objectives.

A public survey conducted to examine any changes in attitude and behaviour towards transport use by December 2023.

2 surveys were completed. One in July 2021, which surveyed 1,775 people, and another in July 2022, which surveyed 1,485 people. Key findings showed:

• 82% of respondents felt their awareness of electric vehicles had improved in the last 12 months.

• 54% of respondents in the 2022 survey stated they were likely to choose a battery EV as their next car compared to 52% in the 2021 survey.

A communications and awareness campaign to influence behavioural change toward electric vehicle use.

As part of the communications campaign for the FASTER project, South West College delivered a series of EV Talk webinars, hosted by Dr Euan Mc Turk. These were promoted on social media for our residents. One webinar was held in November 2022, and a second in December 2022. These were attended by 37 and 133 people respectively and have been viewed more than 14,150 times combined.

• The top two concerns of electric vehicle ownership changed from range activity and purchase cost in 2021, to purchase cost and public charging infrastructure in 2022.

* Please note deviation from the Performance Improvement Plan Consultation Document - project timescales were extended and targets updated.

** This scheme was subject to a successful external funding application.

Creating an Autism Friendly Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

Why?

• Autism is a developmental disability that influences a person’s ability to communicate and relate to other people, as well as affecting how they make sense of the world. It is a spectrum condition, meaning that while all people with autism will have similar problems, overall, their condition will impact them in different ways. Some people may be able to lead independent lives while others will require a lifetime of specialist support.*

• Figures extracted from the 2022/23 Northern Ireland School Census show that 15,212 school aged children had been diagnosed with autism. This represents an estimated autism prevalence rate of 5.0% within the school aged population.*

• Improving people's health and wellbeing (and reducing health inequalities) is one of residents' top five priorities for making the local area a good place to live.**

Who is responsible?

Director of Community

* “Prevalence of Autism (including Asperger Syndrome) in School Age Children in Northern Ireland” Department of Health and NISRA (2023)

** Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Household Survey 2018.

What you'll see How we'll measure progress

Outcomes How did we do this year

7 workshops were delivered during 2022/23. ‘AutismFriendly Information Roadshows’ were held in Carrickfergus in January 2023 and Ballymena in February 2023. The Larne Roadshow was postponed due to the unavailability of key organisations and took place in June 2023. 4 online Makaton taster sessions (a unique language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate) took place in March 2023, and a further 2 in April. We have a waiting list of 142 people registered for this training.

Indicators How did we do this year

Four additional ‘Autism Friendly’, virtual or in-person, public awareness sessions held for businesses, Council staff or the local community by March 2023.

The continued rollout of an awareness raising programme.

We co-hosted a free exhibition entitled ‘Creative Voices: What Autism Means to Me’ alongside the Education Authority Autism Advisory and Intervention Service (AAIS). The exhibition displayed over 100 pieces of artwork by autistic post-primary pupils from across NI. We highlighted ‘Autism Acceptance Week’ by creating a screen saver for our intranet and issued an article to staff about the work of the initiative. The launch of ‘Top Tips for Business’ will take place in 2023/24.

This objective and related outcomes and key performance indicators are included within the Performance Improvement Plan for 2023/24.

7 autism-awareness sessions were held over 2022/23. At least 90% of attendees reporting that their knowledge of autism has increased following the training sessions.

100% of participants reported their knowledge of autism increased following the training.

Additional Council venues becoming ‘Autism Friendly’ places*

Additional Council staff recognised as ‘Autism Champions’, to advocate on behalf of individuals with autism within Council venues and events.

The continued rollout of ‘Just A Minute’ (JAM) Awareness Training to Council staff.

Though later than anticipated, 4 Council venues are expected to complete their ‘Autism-Friendly’ action plans by September 2023.

Autism-Friendly action plans delivered in three Council venues by March 2023*¹³.

The Braid Museum and Arts Centre, and Larne Arts Centre received ‘Autism Impact Award’ training in March 2023. Carrickfergus Museum and Andrew Jackson Cottage received their formal training on 5 June 2023. All four venues are aiming to complete their actions plans for formal accreditation by September 2023. This target is included within the Performance Improvement Plan for 2023/24.

We expect to have 4 additional ‘Autism Champions’ within Council by September 2023.

Six additional Council staff recognised as ‘Autism Champions’ by March 2023.

The delivery mechanism limits the Council to having one official ‘Champion’ per venue. Venue staff will receive the training, but not the formal accreditation. As a result, this target cannot be achieved. We anticipate having 4 additional autism champions by September 2023, as outlined in the Performance Improvement Plan for 2023/24.

103 staff members took part in ‘Just a Minute’ awareness training by 31 March 2023.

* Please note deviation from the Consultation Document. The outcome and indicator were amended, with internal action plans to be delivered, rather than external formal recognition.

An additional 100 Council staff completing ‘Just A Minute’ (JAM) Awareness Training by March 2023.

103 additional Council staff completed JAM awareness training.

Improving customer engagement and service delivery by enhancing the Council's use of information technology

Why?

• Our services will be more effective and efficient, providing greater satisfaction and value for money for ratepayers.

• Digital transformation will lead to improved management reporting and will support better and more informed decision-making.

• The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the need for greater flexibility in delivering online services. ICT can be used as a driving tool to minimise face-to-face scenarios and help ensure our services are more accessible.

• Our Household Survey (2018) found that 39% of residents said they would like to be able to report a problem online, 37% would like to book activities, 27% would like to buy tickets and 22% would like to pay bills.*

Who is responsible?

Interim Director of Corporate Services

* Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Household Survey 2018.

What you'll see

Outcomes How did we do this year

A redesign of Council’s website, developed from user experience feedback (Phase 3).

The Council is developing a 'Customer-First' approach, and the website will be considered as part of that workstream. Updates will continue within the Performance Improvement Plan 2023/24 quarterly updates, as appropriate.

An expansion of the Automated Customer Call System into an additional service area.

The Council is developing a 'Customer-First' approach, and the call centre will be considered as part of that workstream. Updates will continue within the Performance Improvement Plan 2023/24 quarterly updates, as appropriate.

The implementation of the new Northern Ireland Planning Portal for Mid and East Antrim.

The new Planning system went ‘live’ on 5 December 2022 with 100% of applications now processed via the portal.

The digital transformation of at least one customerfacing service.

As of March 2023, full fibre was installed in all Council community centres. Internet connectivity will not take place until the individual requirements of each community centre are established. The outcome will be a fully digital booking system within some of the council-managed centres (maximum total 16). The timeline for completion is 30 September 2023.

This outcome is included within the Performance Improvement Plan for 2023/24.

How we'll measure progress

Indicators How did we do this year

A minimum of 4 digital projects completed by March 2023.

One digital project completed by March 2023; another is expected to complete by September 2023. Two will be considered within the 'Customer-First' workstream.

Previous years’ Improvement Objectives

It is important that we continue to report on our Improvement from previous years, where targets may not have been reached within the intended timeframes. Updates were provided on these objectives throughout 2022/23 within our quarterly reports.

Most of our previous years’ objectives are considered either ‘complete’ or ‘business as usual’, except for the objectives noted here. We will continue to provide updates on these within the normal reporting schedule for the Performance Improvement Plan 2023/24, as appropriate.

Where possible, ongoing, or outstanding indicators from the Performance Improvement Plan 2022/23 are included within the Improvement Objectives for 2023/24.

Objective

The development of Sullatober Household Recycling Centre (PIP 2021/22)

Outcome A larger site with improved infrastructure and accessibility to maximise re-use and recycling.

Measure 6,500m2 site by 31 March 2022.

Status The new recycling centre opened in May 2022.

Measure Increase recycling rate by 23.2% by 31 March 2023.

Status There was a 12% increase in the rate of recycling to 72%. The site is still deemed to be in the ‘settling-in’ stage, having just opened in May 2022. This target will remain until March 2024.

Measure 1,046 additional tonnes of recycled materials by 31 March 2023.

Status 940 tonnes achieved, due to initial ‘settling in’ period. This target will remain until March 2024.

Measure 12 additional tonnes of reused materials by 31 March 2023.

Status 8 tonnes achieved, due to initial ‘settling in’ period. This target will remain until March 2024.

Outcome Financial savings by compacting waste and reduction in fuel consumption.

Measure 50% reduction in containers hauled per newly compacted material by 31 March 2023.

Status 20% achieved. This target will remain until March 2024.

Measure Reduce tCO2e by 800 by 31 March 2023.

Status 287 tonnes, due to initial ‘settling in’ period. This target will remain until March 2024.

Outcome A more effective and efficient service with increased customer satisfaction and value for money for ratepayers.

Measure Increased rate of customer satisfaction.

Status Customer satisfaction surveys conducted in 2021 and 2022 indicate an increase in satisfaction for ‘accessibility, ‘movement around the site’, and ‘sufficient site size’.

Objective

Encourage people to value our natural environment through the promotion of the Green Dog Walkers scheme.

Outcome A cleaner borough.

Measure A reduction in the number of residents perceiving dog fouling to be an issue in our local areas.

Status In 2022, 42% of our Citizen Survey respondents said they ‘see dog fouling often’, compared with 11% of respondents in 2018. Our Officers will continue to promote this initiative across the borough, and will engage with local residents and community groups to encourage responsible ownership.

Statutory Key Performance Indicators

The Local Government (Performance Indicators and Standards) Order (NI) 2015 sets statutory indicators and standards for each council in Northern Ireland.

The Department for the Economy, the Department for Infrastructure and the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs collate this information and publish the results. We also publish this information on our website at midandeastantrim.gov.uk /performance

Indicator Target Annual Result 2022/23

The average processing time of major planning applications.

The average processing time of local planning applications.

The % of enforcement cases concluded within 39 weeks.

* Final figures for 2022/23 will be audited and publicly released by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency by December 2023.

** There is a requirement by the Department for Communities that each council sets and monitors its own individual target annually.

Green Achieved or on track

Amber Delayed but progressing

Red Not achieved or stopped

Grey Not available or not due

Performance has improved

is similar

Jobs promoted through business start-up activity - Mid and East Antrim Borough Council annual performance.

Economic Development

Number of jobs promoted through business start-up activity

From April 2022 to March 2023, 124 jobs were promoted through business start-up activity, 46% over the current statutory target of 85 and up 14% on last year; this is similar to pre-pandemic levels. We were the top performing Council in Northern Ireland in 2022/23 and have exceeded the target every year since 2015/16.

Our annual performance is outlined in the table and charts to the right.

Jobs promoted through business start-up activity - by NI Council 2022/23

Planning

The Department for Infrastructure has published annual data for two of the three statutory planning indicators (for the period April 2022 to March 2023).

During this time, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council remained within the statutory standard set for one of these indicators. Official data is only available for the first six months of the year for enforcement conclusion times.

Our internal and comparative performance is summarised to the right.

* April - September 2022

The average processing time of major planning applications

At 47.6 weeks, we were within the top three performing councils in Northern Ireland for this indicator in 2022/23. The shortest average processing time achieved was 46.4 weeks, followed closely by 47 weeks.

No council met the 30-week standard last year, with an average processing time among the eleven councils of 57.8 weeks. This represents an increase of 8-weeks compared with the previous financial year and exceeds the 30-week target by almost 28 weeks.

Six councils reported an increase in average processing times for major applications in 2022/23 compared with 2021/22, with five councils reporting a decrease. We experienced an increase of almost 13-weeks.

Major planning applications require approval from multiple statutory consultees, including but not limited to, the Rivers Agency, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, and Transport NI. There are occasions when consultees are unable to provide feedback within the allocated timeframe,

which can delay the approval process. Delays can also happen when applications have inaccurate or insufficient detail. On resolution, the application must go through the consultation process again.

In their annual bulletin, the Department for Infrastructure identified some significant events during the last two years that will have impacted on planning activity and processing performance.

These were:

• The coronavirus pandemic, with varying restrictions in place up until February 2022.

• The accessibility of the system for some users for a period during January and February 2022.

• A significant change in IT planning systems, with the development and implementation of two new planning systems in June and December 2022.

These factors should be kept in mind when interpreting and making comparisons with other time periods.

The average processing time of local planning applications

Last year, we were the top performing council in Northern Ireland for the processing time of local planning applications, achieving an average of 8.6 weeks against a standard of 15 weeks. We were one of three local councils to meet the standard during this period, with an average NI council processing time of 19 weeks.

We have achieved the standard every year since 2015/16 and reduced our average processing time of local planning applications by one week in 2022/23 compared with the previous year.

Average processing time of local planning applications

Local Development average processing times by council, 2021/22 and 2022/23

The average percentage of enforcement cases concluded within 39 weeks

We were the top performing council in Northern Ireland for the percentage of enforcement cases progressed to target conclusion within 39 weeks, achieving 91.2% over the period April to September 2022, against a target of 70%.

We have achieved this standard every year since 2015/16 and await the official publication of annual performance data for this indicator.

Waste

We remain within the standard set for all three statutory performance indicators for Waste. Our performance during 2022/23 and comparative annual performance is summarised to the right.

The figures presented are provisional, pending audit and verification by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.

The percentage of household waste collected by council that is sent for recycling

We have collected more than the minimum 50% household recycling standard for the last six years. In 2022/23, the recycling rate was 51.4%, slightly lower than the previous year’s rate of 51.9%.

This is in line with NI council average of 52%.

During this period, the Council ran a number of programmes to actively promote recycling and positive environmental practices. Our Climate and Sustainability Manager was awarded ‘Local Authority, Individual or Team of the Year’ at the UK Awards for Excellence in May 2022. We were also awarded ‘Best Collaborative Working Initiative’ at the APSE Annual Service Awards for delivering a series of circular economy and carbon emission reduction projects.

The percentage of household waste collected by district councils that is sent for recycling (including waste prepared for reuse)

The percentage of household waste collected by Northern Ireland District councils that is sent for recycling (including waste prepared for reuse)

The amount (tonnage)

The amount (tonnage) of biodegradable Local Authority Collected Municipal Waste that is land f lled

of

local authority collected municipal waste that is landfilled

In 2022/23, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council saw an increase in biodegradable waste collected sent to landfill at 14,599 tonnes. This is up from 14,528 the previous year and is the third consecutive rise in the borough since 2019/20. We have collected less than the 16,387 tonnes allowance set by the Northern Ireland Landfill Allowance’s Scheme which remained in place up to 2019/20. Until clarity is provided on performance indicators moving forward, we will continue to use the 2019/20 allowance as an internal target.

The amount (tonnage) of Local Authority Collected Municipal Waste arisings

biodegradable

The amount of collected municipal waste arisings fell by over 4% to 73,433 in 2022/23, from 76,689 in 2021/22. There is no statutory target set for this indicator as the Council are obligated to collect the amount that is presented at the kerbside, household recycling centres and commercial waste.

Self-Imposed Performance Indicators

These

Corporate Plan (2019-2023)

Aligned with the Community Plan for the Borough, our Corporate Plan shapes our services and drives our annual business planning process.

We launched our second Corporate Plan in July 2019, following a period of extensive stakeholder engagement. It adopted the vision of the Community Plan “Putting People First” and was delivered under six strategic themes.

We developed 25 objectives and 20 key performance indicators to support the plan’s delivery and used our performance management system to monitor and report on progress.

In 2022/23 Elected Members were provided with update reports in December 2022 and July 2023, which can be viewed at:

midandeastantrim.gov.uk /corporateplan

We are currently developing our new Corporate Plan in line with the new Council mandate. Extensive consultation has already taken place with local citizens, businesses and Elected Members.

indicators help us track our performance delivering our Corporate Plan and annual Business Plans.

Key Achievements

Corporate Plan (2019 - 2023)

Jobs & Tourism

• Amplify launched to support local businesses to enhance innovation and growth potential.

• Shaped by Sea and Stone, our dedicated tourism website launched.

• The award-winning COVID Confidence Scheme helped bring footfall back to our local towns.

Community Safety & Cohesion

• Cross-agency Mid and East Antrim Support Hub established to support those most in need.

• The Good Relations programme developed mutual understanding and respect for cultural traditions.

• Involved in Policing and Community Safety Partnership aimed at creating safer and shared communities.

Good Health & Wellbeing

• MEA 'Out to Play' strategy launched to promote the importance of play.

• #GetMEActive successfully launched to encourage our residents to be active.

• Awarded multiple 'Autism Impact Award' accreditations.

Our Environment

• In Mid and East Antrim, 69 of the 76 schools registered in the Eco Schools programme hold a Green Flag or certificate.

• MEA4Trees successfully planted more than 58,000 trees across the Borough.

• The new Sullatober Household Recycling Centre officially opened in May 2022.

Learning for Life

• Revolutionary Hydrogen Training Academy established to develop a skilled workforce.

• Multiple employability support programmes delivered resulting in over 1,500 qualifications.

• Successfully hosted the prestigious 'Science Summer School' with keynote speaker Professor Brian Cox CBE.

High Performing Council

• Named UK Council of the Year 2023 at the iESE Public Sector Transformation Awards.

• The Gobbins, Carrickfergus Regeneration Programme and i4C Innovation and Cleantech Centre significantly progressed as part of the Belfast Region City Deal.

• Council's innovative and dynamic response to the COVID pandemic ensured vital services continued to be delivered.

Corporate Plan delivery performance 2022/23

Of 20 Corporate Plan Key Performance Indicators:

16 targets were achieved or on track (80%)

2 were delayed but progressing (10%)

2 were not achieved (10%)

Targets that were not achieved or stopped include:

Good Health and Wellbeing

• Ensure absence levels do not exceed 12 days per annum.

• During 2022/23, 17.21 days were lost per full time equivalent employee. COVID-19 was prevalent during the year, with the highest number of absences attributed to the ‘chest and respiratory’ category.

• Reduce the gap in life expectancy between the most deprived areas in the Borough and the Borough as a whole.

• The life expectancy gap between Mid and East Antrim’s most deprived areas and the Borough average is 5.7 years for males and 3.9 for females (2023); both higher than the target.

Targets that were delayed but progressing include:

Community Safety and Cohesion

• Percentage of people with a sense of belonging to their area.

• The most up-to-date figure is 83.3% for the period 2019-2021, a slight decrease on 2018-2020 at 88.7.

Learning for Life

• Number of participants securing employment as a result of employability programmes.

• 128 participants secured employment against a target of 140. Several programmes are ongoing, following funding delays.

Annual Business Plans

Targets that were not achieved or stopped include:

Good Health and Wellbeing

100 targets were achieved or on track (71%)

29 were delayed but progressing (21%)

10 were not achieved or stopped (7%)

1 was not due or not available (1%)

• Ensure absence levels do not exceed 12 days per annum.

• Create an Autism Friendly MEABC, with 6 additional Council staff recognised as ‘Autism Champions’.

• Reduce the gap in life expectancy between the most deprived areas in the Borough and the Borough as a whole.

Our Performance Management Framework guides the annual business planning process for each Directorate and Department in the Council.

Each business plan has clearly defined outcomes and indicators which align with the Corporate Plan’s strategic themes. We use these to monitor and measure progress.

Our electronic performance management system produces update reports which are scrutinised by the Audit and Scrutiny Committee throughout the year. This system is also used to support an approval process, allowing the Chief Executive

a formal means of approving Directorate Business Plans, and for Directors to approve Departmental Business Plans.

This chart shows our performance delivering our 140 Directorate level business plan performance indicators in 2022/23. This total includes our 20 Corporate Plan indicators and 7 statutory indicators.

High Performing and Sustainable Council

• Roll out ‘Legends’ booking process to Ballymena and Larne as part of the service review into Community Centres.

• Expand the automated Customer Call System into an additional service area.

• Using user experience feedback, redesign Council’s website (Phase 3).

• Statutory Audit to have zero ‘Priority 1’ Audit Points.

• Statutory Audit to have minimal audit points.

• See page 105

• This target forms part of the Performance Improvement Plan for 2022 to 2023. See pages 42-45.

• See page 96. There are two targets, one for male life expectancy and one for female life expectancy.

Our Environment

• The average processing time of major planning applications..

• This element of the review has been stopped. Staff are investigating other options.

• This target forms part of the Performance Improvement Plan for 2022 to 2023. See page 48.

• This target forms part of the Performance Improvement Plan for 2022 to 2023. See page 48.

• Three ‘Priority 1’ audit points were received. Work has commenced on the required adjustments.

• The audit noted three ‘Priority 1’, four ‘Priority 2’ and one ‘Priority 3’ findings. These were reported to Audit and Scrutiny Committee and a commitment made to act.

• This target forms part of the Performance Improvement Plan for 2022 to 2023. See pages 58-59.

Jobs and Tourism

16 targets were achieved or on track 6 were delayed but progressing

Objectives:

What we will do by 2023

1. Grow, support and sustain new and existing businesses through Council and other initiatives.

2. Position MEA as a dynamic, outwardlooking region which welcomes and supports inward investment.

3. Enable entrepreneurs to deliver economic growth through partnership and other supports.

4. Attract more visitors to stay longer and spend more through the delivery of our tourism strategy.

5. Create a compelling tourism and economic proposition by developing and investing in our unique heritage and assets.

Key Performance Indicators

*Number of jobs promoted through business startup activity

We promoted 124 jobs through the 'Go For It' programme between April 2022 and March 2023, exceeding our target by 46%.

Visitors at strategic tourist attractions

This indicator counts the number of visitors at The Gobbins, Carrickfergus Castle, Arthur Cottage, Andrew Jackson Cottage and The US Rangers Museum.

Between April 2022 and March 2023, we welcomed 86,432 visitors, far surpassing our annual target of 44,778.

Number of businesses engaged across business support programmes

We engaged 736 businesses between April 2022 and March 2023.

Through a variety of support programmes, including Business Escalator Plus, Digital Boost, Bid2Win, Digital Surge and more.

Key achievements:

• 6,719 local businesses were provided with bespoke mentoring support valued over £300,000 in 2022/23.

• Industry representatives from across Northern Ireland met at Ballymena’s Ecos Hub for the inaugural HyTech NI Industry Steering Board meeting. This initiative aims to support the development of the region’s burgeoning hydrogen economy.

• The Mid and East Antrim Pilot Hydrogen Training Academy continues to develop a learning pathway for the hydrogen economy through a state-of-the-art learning environment and essential training.

• We collaborated with local business support organisations and associated stakeholders for Global Enterprise Week, offering a diverse range of events and initiatives.

• An agreement was sealed for £42 million to regenerate the town of Carrickfergus, as part of the Belfast Region City Deal and one of three projects in Mid and East Antrim that will collectively benefit from over £80m investment.

• We offered 27 businesses and individuals the chance to ‘test trade’ in town centre retail premises through ‘Pop Up Shop’ initiatives.

• Our Economic Development team successfully delivered 18 workshops and webinars to 1,341 participants.

• Over 12,000 people enjoyed our Halloween events.

• £6 million was allocated to Carnfunnock Country Park from the UK government’s ‘Levelling Up Fund’ to construct a new visitor centre.

• Carrickfergus Civic Centre welcomed Tourism NI’s spectacular 360 Igloo Dome, showcasing the best of Northern Irish tourism.

• Our Tourism team delivered 9 public workshop events at Arthur Cottage and Andrew Jackson Cottage.

• An information panel was installed on Larne Promenade highlighting the town’s connection with the Vikings.

• An exhibition showcasing the artwork of renowned artist Seanna O’Boyle-Irvine, featuring real prehistoric objects, proved to be a big hit with visitors to Carrickfergus Museum.

Community Safety and Cohesion

6 targets were achieved or on track 1 was delayed but progressing

Objectives:

What we will do by 2023

1. Encourage good relations by creating vibrant, shared and cohesive communities within the borough.

2. Improve community safety and confidence to enable people to feel safe and have a sense of belonging in their area.

3. Build the capacity of local communities to become resilient and self-sustainable.

4. Work with partners to provide support to vulnerable people who need it.

Key Performance Indicators

*Number of anti-social behaviour incidents

Figures are based on annual data published by the PSNI. There were 3,404 anti-social behaviour incidents recorded in Mid and East Antrim in 2022/23. This equates to a 13.7% reduction on the incidents recorded in 2021/22.

**Number of incidents recorded with a hate crime motivation

Figures are based on annual data published by the PSNI.

134 hate crime incidents were recorded in Mid and East Antrim in 2022/23, a 16.3% reduction on 2021/22.

% of people reporting that fear of crime has a minimal impact on their quality of life

On 31 March 2023, the Department of Justice published the research and statistical bulletin 'Experience of Crime and Perceptions of Crime and Policing and Justice: Findings from the 2021/22 Northern Ireland Safe Community Telephone Survey' (NISCTS).

At 73%, the majority of 2021/22 respondents felt fear of crime has minimal effect on their quality of life; this is unchanged from 2020/21. The results of the survey were not broken down into Local Government District areas.

% of people with a sense of belonging to their area

Figures are based on annual data published by ARK via the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey. The most up-to-date figure is 83.3% across 2019-21. This is a slight decrease in the reported figure of 88.7% for 2018-20.

We are continually working to provide a strong, safe, vibrant and inclusive community for all.

Key achievements:

• Our residents celebrated Lunar New Year with a funfilled event at the People’s Park in Ballymena, where they had the opportunity to participate in a variety of traditional Chinese crafts and to taste wonderful Chinese tea and sweets.

• Our Good Relations Programme commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day with an evening of drama, poetry and speeches.

• We worked with the Policing and Community Partnership, the Police Service Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service to highlight the dangers of speeding and the importance of wearing a seatbelt, ahead of Road Safety Week 2022.

• We were awarded membership of the World Health Organisation Global Network for Age-Friendly Cities and Communities.

• ‘Mid and East Antrim’s Affordable Food Club’ was established at the MEA Community Hub in Ballymena, thanks to funding from the Department for Communities. The Club gives members access to food at a reduced cost, alongside a wraparound service to help address any challenges that contribute to food security.

• Over 30 groups attended workshops to advance community development in the Larne area as part of the Council’s community development initiative “The Cluster Programme”.

• Carrickfergus and Greenisland Community

Clusters hosted a Winter Wellness event to help local people with the cost-ofliving crisis, including advice on budgeting and debt, benefit payments, energy bills, places to stay warm, mental health, food, and cooking.

• The EmbRACE Programme encouraged our residents to attend outdoor events whilst celebrating the culture and diversity of the Borough.

• Over £13,000 was awarded to local community groups in 2022 through the Live Here Love Here Small Grants Scheme, enabling volunteers, groups, and schools to carry out practical community-based projects that improve the quality of their local environment.

• The Alzheimer’s Society, supported by Council, delivered another successful Dementia Action Week, including a meeting of the Dementia Friendly Choir, an ‘All Ages Intergenerational Event’ and two videos.

Learning For Life

3 targets were achieved or on track 1 was delayed but progressing

Objectives: What we will do by 2023

1. Work in partnership with the private and community sector to develop the skills needed to support sustained economic development in the Borough.

2. Encourage our people to realise their potential through awareness, training and lifelong learning.

3. Develop a joined-up approach to the delivery of education and training programmes in schools and in the wider community.

4. Enhance opportunities for volunteering, work experience and apprenticeship programmes to develop social and employment skills.

Key Performance Indicators

Number of participants securing employment as a result of employability programmes

Between April 2022 and March 2023, Council supported the delivery of a number of employability programmes. To date, 128 participants have secured employment against a target of 140. A number of programmes were delayed awaiting funding, and are still ongoing.

Number of days per employee spent on training

In 2022/23, an average of 3.5 days were spent on employee training, the vast majority of which was delivered online. We are transitioning towards a more agile approach to learning and development, in the form of a Learning Platform.

Number of apprenticeship/ work placement/experience opportunities delivered by Council

11 placements took place within a range of work areas, such as Waste, Environmental Health, Marketing and Communications, Corporate, Museums, Transport and Climate and Sustainability.

Our Senior Management Team actively seek opportunities to provide for additional participants.

Number of education and training programmes delivered by Council

Between April 2022 and March 2023, we delivered 41 education and training programmes to schools, businesses and community groups across the Borough. Programmes were delivered on a variety of subjects including environmental awareness, employability skills, outdoor safety and 'Autism Friendly' awareness.

Key achievements:

• 1,975 young people engaged in a range of enterprise, skills, and careers activities.

• 400 primary school pupils took part in an online Business Masterclass where they used online resources and fun interactive tasks to grasp key business concepts.

• 350 secondary school students were inspired to consider careers in science and engineering after attending the prestigious ‘Science Summer School’ event in Ballymena, which was held for the first time in Northern Ireland and is cofounded by Professor Brian Cox CBE.

• All 76 Mid and East Antrim schools engaged in the Eco Schools Education Programme.

• Northern Ireland Apprenticeship Week was celebrated with a programme of interactive and informative events.

• A wide range of preemployment programmes were delivered by our Economic Development team, resulting in 225 qualifications.

• We hosted three weeks of Biodiversity University to inspire and galvanize our young residents to discover more about the incredible

species and habitats on their doorstep and hear how they can help them, through fun, environmental activities.

• The “Little Free Library”, being rolled out across the Borough, seeks to inspire a love of reading, spark creativity and build communities.

• We launched our Management Development Programme.

Our Environment

22 targets were achieved or on track

8 were delayed but progressing 1 target was not achieved

1 was not due or not available

Objectives: What we will do by 2023

1. Deliver high quality places where people want to live, work and invest, using the Local Development Plan, regeneration and excellence in leadership.

2. Improve and sustainably manage our environment, protecting it for future generations.

3. Encourage people to value our natural environment and built heritage, by enhancing responsible access to it and promoting the benefits it offers for our health and wellbeing.

4. Lead by example and reduce the impact of Council services on the environment.

Key Performance Indicators

Level of external investment secured per annum for regeneration projects

Throughout the term of the Corporate Plan (20192023), we secured £6,234,354 from the Department for Communities and other stakeholders for a variety of regeneration projects.

The funding supported the delivery of 9 key regeneration projects including, Ballymena Public Realm Linkages, Larne Jaunting Car Sculpture, Greenvale Street Public Realm, Carrickfergus Public Realm, Lower Mill Street Public Realm, Pats Brae Public Realm, the COVID Recovery Scheme, the COVID Recovery Small Settlements Scheme, and the Shared Island Fund in partnership with Waterford City and County Council.

Major awards secured and maintained

In 2022/23, we monitored the following environmental awards: ISO 14001, Green Flag, Blue Flag, Gold Anchor Award, NI Environmental Benchmarking and Seaside Awards.

We secured 3 Green Flag awards, 3 Seaside Awards, Gold Anchor Award, recertification of ISO14001 and Platinum status at the NI Environmental Benchmarking Awards.

'Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful' Cleanliness Index

Scores closer to 100% indicate better performance and 66% is the point at which performance is considered acceptable.

We scored 72% for the period between April 2022 and March 2023, against a target of 66%.

Key achievements:

• Our Climate and Sustainability Manager was awarded ‘Local Authority, Individual or Team of the Year’ at the UK Awards for Excellence in May 2022.

• We delivered a ‘Climate Action Roadshow’ in July 2022.

• We developed a ‘Fleet Strategy’ which focuses on reducing emissions and driving efficiencies.

• We held a COP27 event “Helping the agri and business sector on the journey to net zero” to raise awareness and educate businesses and stakeholders, including on funding opportunities.

• We delivered Carbon Literacy Training to over 60 staff members to provide further understanding of climate change, carbon footprint, mitigation, and adaptation.

• 33 individuals, businesses and community groups were recognised via the Mid and East Antrim in Bloom Community Awards.

• To mark National Tree Week in November 2022, the Mayor joined pupils from Woodburn Primary School at a tree planting event at the Keeran Moss restoration site.

• For the fourth year, we worked with Habitat for Humanity, East Belfast Mission (Restore) and local community groups to deliver a toy donation scheme, diverting an impressive 5.2 tonnes of toys from landfill.

• We secured funding from ‘Keep Britain Tidy’s Chewing Gum Task Force Grant’ for two mobile power washers to tackle gum staining and signage to promote behavioural change.

• ‘Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful’ provided cigarette butt bins in four Borough locations.

• We secured funding to develop a new ‘Community RePaint’ project, where residents can drop off unused and partially used paint tins to our five Household Recycling Centres for redistribution to local community groups and schools.

• We joined Love Food Hate Waste for its third ‘Food Waste Action Week’ in March 2023, focusing on the theme of ‘Win. Don’t Bin’.

Good Health and Wellbeing

7 targets were achieved or on track 1 was delayed but progressing 4 were not achieved

Objectives: What we will do by 2023

1. Deliver a joined-up approach to improve physical and emotional health and wellbeing.

2. Play our part in enabling people to live longer and healthier lives, reducing health inequalities and social isolation.

3. Enable older people to be active, respected and supported in their community.

4. Lead by example to ensure that our workplaces are for health as well as wealth.

Key Performance Indicators

*Employee attendance

During 2022/23, 17.21 days were lost per full-time equivalent employee, the highest level recorded since 2016/17. Further details on this can be found on page 105.

**Gap in life expectancy between the most deprived areas in the Borough and the Borough as a whole

In March 2023, the Department of Health published the Health Inequalities Annual Report 2023.

Male life expectancy in Mid and East Antrim's most deprived areas was 72.8 years, 5.7 years less than the Borough's average (78.5 years) and 1.3 years higher than the Council's target of 4.4 years.

Female life expectancy in the Borough's most deprived areas was 78.4 years, 3.9 years less than the Borough's average (82.3 years) and 0.3 years higher than the Council's target of 3.6 years.

Percentage of available Grant Support Scheme funding awarded

During 2022/23, 458 grant applications were received. The Queens Platinum Jubilee Grant was incredibly successful, with 80 applications receiving a total of £80,654. Additional projects that received funding included, the Dalriada Festival, street parties for the jubilee, equipment grants for sports clubs, and a number of Elite Sports Competitors through the Jonathan Rea Bursary.

Key achievements:

• Our Learn to Swim Academy ‘MEAqua’ splashed back into action with an expanded programme for people aged 3 to 73, providing over 300 sessions to more than 2000 swimmers each week.

• 735 people took part in our ‘MEActive Summer Programme’ activity camps.

• We officially opened our highly anticipated skate park in Ballymena.

• Our leisure centre fitness suites benefited from refurbishment, including brand-new fitness equipment.

• Responding to the costof-living crisis, and utilising the resilience and capacity within our communities, we rapidly rolled out a Warm Space Grant Scheme, which provided £12,500 funding to

25 local groups, delivering at least 75 sessions. This was in addition to the Warm, Safe and Well community support spaces to vulnerable residents.

• Thanks to the Northern Healthy Living Partnership, we rolled out the ‘Plot to Plate’ programme, providing free sessions on nutrition, cooking, physical activity, and life skills.

• We produced a culinary cookbook full of tasty recipes and delicious treats, to highlight the benefits of an air fryer as a low-cost energy alternative.

• 48 business representatives received free accredited ‘Basic Life Support Training’.

• We supported the Mid and East Antrim Loneliness Network to launch three new Kindness Post-boxes

marking 'Loneliness Awareness Week'. Children are encouraged to write cheerful letters or draw pictures and post them into a Kindness Post-box, where letters are collected and distributed local care home residents. Every card, letter, poem, picture, and drawing goes a long way to brighten someone’s day.

• Our annual Sports Awards celebrated the best in local sport.

• With £297,700 funding from the Woodland Trust’s Emergency Tree Fund, we worked with the organisation to deliver an exciting ‘Climate Canopy’ project. The project aimed to boost green spaces and help our residents’ health and wellbeing.

High Performing Council

46 targets were achieved or on track 12 were delayed but progressing 5 were not achieved

Objectives:

What we will do by 2023

1. Take the lead on delivering both the Community Plan and the Local Development Plan, working effectively with our partners.

2. Increase customer satisfaction with our services by being a listening and responsive Council.

3. Be recognised as a leading Council, delivering excellent services and facilities through collaborative working, innovation and continuous improvement.

4. Embed our values to ensure that our employees feel supported and motivated to realise their potential.

Key Performance Indicators

*Average escalation rate of complaints

We aim to resolve complaints received at the earliest point of contact, in line with good practice.

Between April 2022 and March 2023, at 88%, we exceeded our target of resolving at least 70% of complaints informally.

Customer Satisfaction

We surveyed 810 local households in summer 2022. 53% indicated they were satisfied, 19% were dissatisfied, and 28% were neither. The survey results will be used to help shape our future plans.

Net cost of Council services per head of population

This indicator is reported annually to the Association of Public Service Excellence.

The net cost of council services per head in 2021/22 was £285, an improvement on the 2020/21 figure of £310. The result for 2022/23 will be reported to Full Council when the figures are audited.

Staf Satisfaction

The 'Listening to Staff' survey was completed between November and December 2022.

The results have been carefully analysed and focus groups undertaken with the Interim Chief Executive, Senior Management Team and Council officers to establish a way forward.

Key achievements:

• We progressed agreed actions within our Community Plan ‘Putting People First’.

• We were named ‘UK Council of the Year 2023’ at the Improvement and Efficiency Social Enterprise (iESE) Public Sector Transformation Awards.

• We proactively participated in working groups and best practice visits to ensure continuous improvement within our organisation.

• We were awarded ‘Best Collaborative Working Initiative’ at the APSE Annual Service Awards for delivering a series of circular economy and carbon emission reduction projects.

• Almost 30,000 people attended our major events last year. We continue to take an innovative and forward-looking approach to delivering our events, and where appropriate, maximise opportunities to use them as key economic drivers.

• We hosted a wide range of family-friendly events and delivered initiatives to mark the Coronation of His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen Consort.

• We marked ‘Democracy Week’, by celebrating democratic heritage and values across the borough and beyond.

• We successfully delivered several capital projects throughout the year, including our state-ofthe-art recycling facility at Sullatober, Carrickfergus.

• Our digital and social media reach continues to rise, with over 30,000 Facebook, 7,000 Twitter, 4,500 Instagram and 3,000 LinkedIn followers. We reached over 3 million people on Facebook over the last year.

Benchmarking

We recognise that benchmarking is an extremely effective tool for the observation, analysis and reporting of performance over a period of time.

By comparing our performance, we can gain insight into our strengths and identify areas that require a targeted focus for improvement.

Each year, we actively engage in a number of benchmarking activities, working groups and best practice activities to enhance our performance.

Absenteeism

During 2022/23, 17.21 days were lost per full-time equivalent employee, the highest level recorded since 2016/17.

COVID-19 was prevalent during the year, with the highest number of absences attributed to the ‘chest and respiratory’ category. Other contributing factors include delays in accessing medical consultations and treatments, as well as ongoing employee relations associated absences.

Looking back, the average number of days lost across the 11 Northern Ireland councils in 2021/22 was 16.59 days, a 6-day increase on the previous year. Comparative data is not yet available for the 2022/23 year.

We launched our ‘Listening to Staff’ survey in November 2022 to give our employees the opportunity to have their voices heard. The survey was endorsed by Trade Union colleagues, and the Senior Management Team is committed to implementing subsequent actions and recommendations.

Prompt Payments

s, and to provide our Senior Management Team and Elected Members with assurances that our governance arrangements are robust. This helps to ensure transparency, accountability and to further drive

To enable the efficient processing of payments, we implemented an Electronic Purchase Ordering System in late 2017. This was replaced by a new financial system in November 2021.

Annual tracking of prompt payments

At 74%, the percentage of payments made by the Council within 10 working days improved for the sixth consecutive year in 2022/23 to our highest recorded figure. This is also higher than the Northern Ireland council average of 70%.

For the average percentage of payments made within 30 working days in 2022/23, the Council achieved 87%, a reduction of 8% from the previous year.

The reduction in this percentage is due to Council staff being unfamiliar with the new finance system. The percentage of invoices paid within 30 days saw a significant increase in quarter four to 92% from 79% in quarter three, following additional staff training.

NI Council % of payments within 30 days

Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE)

Benchmarking supports the development of a culture of continuous improvement and allows us to compare our performance with other councils in Northern Ireland and throughout the United Kingdom.

We participate in the APSE ‘NI Benchmarking Project’ which commenced in 2015/16, alongside several other regional councils.

With various changes made to the agreed performance indicators over the last 8 years, and as the project develops and stabilises, the data becomes more useful for annual trend analysis and cross-council benchmarking. Data is currently collected for 12 service areas:

• Arts and Heritage

• Building Control

• Cemetery and Crematorium Services

• Community Development

• Corporate Services (Organisational Design and Human Resources,

ICT, Registration Services, Training and Learning, Finance and Financial Services, Legal Services, Democratic Services, Complaints, and Cost of Services)

• Economic Development

• Environmental Health

• Parks, Open Spaces and Horticultural Services

• Planning

• Refuse Collection

• Street Cleansing

• Sports and Leisure

The latest available data is for the 2021 to 2022 year. Of the 202 performance indicators in the APSE benchmarking framework, we submitted data for 144.

We completed a detailed analysis, which included comparisons with the NI average and the identification of any improvement or deterioration from the previous year, where possible.

There were 116 indicators where our performance could be compared to that of the other participating councils:

• We were the top performing council in 9% (13 indicators)

• We were better than the NI average in 31% (44 indicators)

• We performed below the NI average in 24% (35 indicators)

• We ranked lowest for 16% (23 indicators)

We also carry out benchmarking within our own organisation. Annual comparisons are made within our Corporate Plan indicators, and each individual department conducts comparative assessments to drive improvement within their own service areas. An example is provided below.

Health and Safety Accidents

Best practice research

Our Officers and Elected Members participate in best practice visits with other councils and external organisations. Examples of some of the activities undertaken during 2022/23 are provided below.

• We visited the Queen's University Belfast’s Director of Estates to capture lessons learnt on ‘City Deal’, and to understand the university’s structure and governance on the delivery of capital projects.

• Our Climate and Sustainability team attended the ‘All-Ireland Sustainability Summit’ in Belfast to learn about best practice across energy, waste, and biodiversity.

• The Corporate Performance and Improvement team continue to represent Council at regular meetings of the Northern Ireland Local Government Performance Improvement Working Group.

• Our Waste Management team visited a number of Northern Ireland councils to review household recycling centre policies and route optimisation practices. Please see Appendix 3 for a comprehensive list.

Internal Benchmarkingd to provide our Senior Management Team and Elected Members with assurances that our governance arrangements are robust. This helps to ensure transparency, accountability

Looking Forward

We are working hard to ensure we can continue to provide quality services for our citizens.

We commissioned a survey in 2022 to gain an understanding of the views and needs of our local communities to support the development of our future plans and strategies.

Top 5 priorities for making the borough a better place to live:

We received 810 responses to our Citizens Survey, from a wide range of people across our borough. We have highlighted a few key statistics: Supporting and developing activities for children and young people

Support to reduce poverty

71% of citizens were satisfied with Mid and East Antrim as a place to live

felt that the borough is a good area for supporting physical activity

Developing skills and job prospects

Delivering clean and attractive streets and towns

Supporting our parks, green spaces and the natural and built environment

felt that the borough has a skilled and adaptable workforce

of citizens felt they had a sense of belonging to their area

felt the borough is one where people have easy access to the natural environment and built assets 51% of citizens would like to see more local services to improve mental health and wellbeing

45% of citizens would like to see more support services for children, families and those with disabilities

89% of citizens stated that they felt recycling was either very or quite important

Performance Improvement Plan 2023/24

Our Plan for 2023/24 demonstrates our ongoing commitment to supporting our local communities and businesses. The plan was developed with stakeholder engagement, and outlines some of the areas that we hope to improve, how we plan to do it and how our citizens will be better off as a result.

Our Improvement Objectives for the year ahead are:

1. Growing the economy and creating jobs

Identify ways to increase local jobs and employment opportunities within Mid and East Antrim.

2. Revitalising our towns

Through a variety of regeneration activities, support our businesses, welcome inward investment, and attract visitors to our towns.

3. Supporting our citizens' health and wellbeing

Encourage and promote regular, safe, and responsible use of our parks and open spaces by providing quality, sustainable and inclusive opportunities.

4. Working in partnership to support our citizens, particularly those who are vulnerable. Working in partnership to support our citizens.

5. Improving infrastructure to support the transition to low-carbon transport systems. To reduce emissions and protect the environment for future generations.

6. Enhancing customer engagement and service delivery. Develop Council’s use of information technology to improve customer engagement and service delivery.

You can view our current and previous plans at: midandeastantrim.gov.uk /performance

Closing remarks

We have identified areas for improvement through this performance assessment and will prioritise their progression in the year ahead.

We will continue to seek opportunities to learn and adapt to our environment to ensure that we can meet the needs of our local communities.

We will keep looking within our organisation, to see what we can do better, more efficiently.

I want to thank our communities, Elected Members, partners, and indeed our staff for their hard work and support throughout the year.

I look forward to the year ahead.

Valerie Watts Interim Chief Executive

As a Council, we have worked vigorously to embed a culture of continuous improvement. We know that listening to our citizens, businesses, and service users has and always will be integral to this goal.

Appendix 1: Audit Findings

Northern Ireland Audit Office

‘Proposals for Improvement’ represent good practice and should assist the Council in meeting its performance improvement responsibilities. The Audit and Scrutiny Committee track their progress.

Green means ‘complete’ and amber means ‘in progress’.

Proposal November 2022

The Council should consider extending the current request for feedback made on all publications, to make stakeholders aware that they can identify areas for improvement that can then be explored by Senior Management and Elected Representatives in the creation of the Performance Improvement Plan.

Council action We have accepted and actioned this proposal. A feedback request will be included on all publications so that stakeholders are aware that they can identify areas for improvement at any time, which can then be explored further.

Update on prior years’

Proposal 2021/22 When an objective is not carried through into the next Performance Improvement Plan and has not been fully marked as ‘complete’ the Council should clearly state within the Self-Assessment Report the reasons for not carrying forward, if it will continue to be measured and reported and the effect this will have, if any, on target setting process going forward.

Council action

The Council have accepted and actioned this proposal. We clearly indicate the future reporting process of any incomplete objectives that have not been carried forward into the next year’s Performance Improvement Plan.

Proposal 2019/20 Council should consider in detail all relevant issues that could impact on the achievement of the revised target of restoring up to 10 properties (down from 18) within the Carrickfergus Townscape Heritage Initiative objective, given the continued economic problems and town centre vacancy with little or no return on investment, which could impinge heavily on the third-party investors needed for this scheme to proceed.

Council action This objective continues within the Performance Improvement Plan for 2023/24, with a revised target of 10 properties by September 2023 following an approved extension to the project’s lifetime by the principal funder. Given current economic conditions, the performance indicator to reduce town centre vacancy rates is now deemed unrealistic and has been removed. 8 properties are complete.

Proposal 2019/20

The Council should prioritise prior year Proposals for Improvement and take steps to address them.

Council action One prior year proposal remains in progress.

Proposal 2018 The Council should ensure that each Improvement Objective and its underlying projects are focused on outcomes for citizens in relation to improved functions and/or services. The outcome(s) should always be clearly stated so that citizens can understand how they will benefit.

Council action

All objectives have clearly defined outcomes for citizens, are based on research, and align with both the Community Plan and Corporate Plan.

Proposal 2018

The Council should continue working with other councils and the Department to agree a suite of self-imposed indicators and standards. This will enable meaningful comparisons to be made and published in line with its statutory responsibility.

Council action We are a member of the Performance Improvement Working Group, which includes Performance Officers, the Department for Communities, and the Northern Ireland Audit Office. We are working to ensure consistency and have identified a need to clarify benchmarking requirements. The delivery of some actions is delayed due to the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis. The longerterm approach to benchmarking will remain a focus and will continue to be developed. The Department communicated that there will be a wider review of the Local Government (NI) Act 2014, likely to include Performance, and have committed to work with local councils as part of this process.

Proposal 2016/17 General Duty to Improve - Cascade the framework (or policy) and performance improvement responsibilities directly to all employees.

Council action Our Performance Management Framework has been implemented and cascaded to all employees. The Personal Development Plan process for all employees is a central element of the framework, with mandatory completion targets contained within annual business plans. We keep the framework under review to ensure it remains fit for purpose, and to reflect any improvements or changes to our arrangements.

Proposal 2016/17 Governance arrangements - Using the internal audit function to provide assurance on the integrity and operation of the Council’s performance improvement processes.

Council action

Two internal audits were completed, one in 2017, the other in 2019/20. As of 2022/23 all recommendations are considered complete.

Appendix 2: Internal Benchmarking

• Annual Business Plan

• Annual Carbon Footprint Report and Environmental Performance

• Annual Climate Report

• Annual Personal Development Plan

• Citizen Survey 2022

• Climate and Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan

• Continual monitoring of engagement figures using various Council Customer relationship Management systems

• Continual review and monitoring of external communications and public image

• Continual review of internal procurement guidelines

• Council Health and Safety Committee

• Customer Satisfaction Surveys

• Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities DELTA online system quarterly return

• Engagement and registration figures from online webinars

• General Data Protection Regulation Compliance Tracking

• Facebook Visitor Attraction Reviews

• Household Recycling Centre performance monitoring

• In-house Performance Monitoring System

• Internal Audit Practitioner Group

• Internal budget monitoring

• Internal monitoring of employability skill participation and qualifications achieved

• Internal review of Strategic Communications Plan

• ISO14001:2015 International Environment Management System

• Monitoring and reporting against i4C Innovation Centre proposals

• Monitoring and tracking of BuySupplyNI subscribers

• Monitoring of performance during staff meetings

• Monthly Absence Reports

• Monthly Capital Plan reporting

• NI Climate Change Adaption Programme

• Performance SelfAssessment Report

• Post event and campaign analysis

• Regular monitoring and reviewing of stakeholder engagement

• Prompt Payment Monitoring

• Statutory Indicator Performance Tracking

• Service Reviews and Transformation

• Social Media Analytics

• Tascomi software System

• Town centre footfall tracking

• Tracking of Council energy consumption

• TripAdvisor Reviews

• UN Sustainable Development Goals Report

• Visitor Numbers

Appendix 2: External Benchmarking

• Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Annual Benchmarking Survey, APSE Annual Service Awards, APSE Network Query participation, APSE Energy and APSE Awards submissions

• Arc21 Waste Management group NI Joint Committee

• Arc21 Waste Management group NI Steering Group

• Belfast Region City Deal Communications Forum

• Business in the Community NI, Environmental Benchmarking Survey

• Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Annual comparisons of dog fouling complaints across councils

• DAERA Audit Policy and Procedures (Rural Development and TRPSI)

• DAERA NI Landfill Allowance Scheme

• Engaged with Local Government Staff Commission Regional Talent Management Group

• Engaged with Local Government Training Group

• Engagement with Stormont and UK Government campaigns teams for effective activation of key national messages

• Engagement with the Consumer Council NI

• Heads of Procurement Working Group

• ISO14001 International Environment Standard accreditation

• Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful – Cleanliness Index, BIG Spring Clean, Live Here Love Here Small Grants Scheme, Eco Schools (Green Flag assessment)

• LASAN (Accidents) Group Membership

• The Local Government Staff Commission for NI (LGSC) Health and Wellbeing Group

• Local Government Apprenticeship Network Group

• Local Government Information Practitioners Network

• Local Government Operational Network

• Local Government Performance Improvement Working Group

• Local Government Procurement Officers Group

• Member of Climate NI

• Member of National Communications Advisory Panel (NCAP)

• Member of NI Council’s Electric Vehicle consortium group

• Member of NI Council’s Recycling Officers Forum

• Member of Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP) Forum Group

• Membership of APSE Energy

• Membership of Building Control Northern Ireland Committee

• Membership of Building Control Northern Ireland Fire Safety Panel

• Membership of Building Control Northern Ireland Standards Panel

• Membership of Building Control Northern Ireland Training and Communications Panel

• Membership of Information Governance Network

• Membership of key communications bodies in NI, including the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM)

• Membership of Labour Market Partnership

• Membership of LARAC (Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee)

• Membership of Local Authority Building Control (UK mainland based)

• Membership of Sustainable NI

• Membership of the Information Governance Network

• Membership of the regional Environmental Health NI including subgroups

• Mid and East Antrim Innovation Partnership

• Monitoring as part of the Digital Surge Programme

• Monitoring as part of the Invest NI Referral Process

• Monitoring of awards won (Green Flag, Britain in Bloom, Ulster in Bloom, Seaside Award, Blue Flag, Gold Anchor)

• NI All-Party Working Group on Climate Change (NI Executive Level)

• NI Councils, Land and Property Services and IDOX IT Solutions

• NI Museums Council Museum Accreditation Scheme

• NIAO Annual Reports inc. financial indicators, absenteeism, and prompt payments

• NISRA Visitor Attractions Statistics

• North Channel Partnership

• Northern Ireland Leisure Managers Forum

• Participation in Bid to Win Programme

• Participation in Digital Surge Programme

• Participation in Mid and East Antrim Innovation Partnership

• Quarterly liaison meetings with Department of Finance

• Regional ICT Managers Group

• Statutory Key Performance Indicators

• Tackling Plastic NI Zero Waste Award

• Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Group

• Tourism NI Visitor Attractions Group

• Tourism NI Visitor Information Centre Statistics

• Town Centre Repurposing Pilot Grant Scheme

• UK Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management

• UK iESE (Improvement and Efficiency Social Enterprise) Awards for innovations in transforming local public services

Appendix 3: Benchmarking and Best Practice 2022/23

Area of Service/ Purpose of Visit Follow up

APSE Energy Summit

Date: October 2022

Dept: Climate and Sustainability

Online

Date: November 2022

Area of Service/ Purpose of Visit Follow up

An Elected Member and our Climate and Sustainability Manager attended this best practice energy summit.

Expertise and knowledge was disseminated in plenary sessions, and useful discussions experienced through informal networking. Learning was shared with colleagues.

Queen’s University

Belfast Estates

Department

Date: Nov 2022

Dept: Belfast City Deal

‘Use of EV fleet and alternative fuels in refuse collection vehicles’

Date: May 2022

Dept: Climate and Sustainability

All Ireland Sustainability Summit, Belfast

Date: June 2022

Dept: Climate and Sustainability

Sustainable NI Forum Meeting

Date: September 2022

Dept: Climate and Sustainability

Green Growth and Climate Change

Agenda meeting with Councils/SOLACE/ DAERA/DfE/DfI

Date: September 2022

Dept: Climate and Sustainability

To capture lessons learnt on City Deal and understand their structure and governance in the delivery of capital projects.

Assisted the Council in achieving ‘amber’ scoring in an ‘Assurance of Action Plan’ review (January 2023). This followed an initial ‘Gate Zero’ review in September, in which the Council scored ‘red’.

Dept: Climate and Sustainability, Parks Development

Our Climate and Sustainability Manager attended this APSE roundtable discussion.

Best practice electric vehicle initiatives were shared with the Transport Manager.

All-Ireland Sustainability Summit, Belfast

Date:March 2023

Climate Officers hosted an online event outlining research and funding opportunities within the agri and business sector, and carbon offsetting opportunities using nature-based solutions. Speakers included representatives from the Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy, QUB Institute for Food Security, The Woodland Trust, MEABC Parks Development and Business in the Community NI.

Officers attended this annual event to learn about best practice in energy, waste, and biodiversity.

The event was well attended with guests from Coca-Cola, Moy Park, Danske Bank, Deer Park Engineering, RSPB, National Trust, Newcastle University, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, local farmers, Elected Members, and colleagues from most NI councils. The recording is available on our website within the ‘Climate and Sustainability’ section.

Officers supported organisations in their journey towards sustainability and sharing of best practice.

Officers liaised with academic and government departments on best practice projects for example, placement opportunities.

Dept: Climate and Sustainability, Parks and Open Spaces

Up to date information was given from across the sector, with a focus on supporting organisations in their journey towards sustainability, accessing the support needed to make change, the ‘going green journey’, sharing best practice, and going that extra mile. Presentations from specialists provided insight and knowledge to support strategic decisions within Council.

Officers attended a Sustainable NI Forum meeting and site visit of the Erne Campus –An example of Passivhaus Excellence Building.

Officers presented at an engagement meeting with councils, SOLACE, DAERA, DfE and DfI on collaborative funding projects delivered in the borough on green growth.

Lessons learned were shared with our Energy Advisor, who has since completed Passivhaus training.

Stormont Executive

Date: Ongoing Dept: Communications

Communications representatives from the Stormont Executive, partner councils and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council meet on a regular basis to share key learnings and ensure a joined-up approach in the delivery of communications.

Shared learning and collaboration. Signposting of Council staff to key resources, beneficial to the fulfilment of their duties. Key messages delivered simultaneously to maximise impact.

Presentation given by our Climate and Sustainability Manager and Environmental Education Officer to SOLACE and government departments. Follow-up collaboration meetings were held to deliver on green growth and climate change.

Northern Ireland Public Sector Communications Forum

Date: Ongoing Dept: Communications

This is made up of communications managers from across the NI public sector. Meetings take place periodically and staff learn best practice from experienced, respected communications experts.

We have implemented learning into our day-to-day roles and built good relationships with industry colleagues.

Belfast Region City Deal

Date: Ongoing

Dept: Communications

Town Centre Taskforce

Date: Ongoing

Dept: Communications

Area of Service/ Purpose of Visit Follow up

Partnership panel to deliver effective City Deal communications, consisting of communications representatives from all partners.

Regular meetings with stakeholders to jointly drive the local economy, by delivering customer and business improvements in town centres and campaigns to drive footfall and spend.

Shared learning and networking opportunities have been key to establishing strong relationships with key public sector colleagues.

Regular engagement, balanced representation from key sectors, shared learning, and collaboration to drive cut-through in campaign delivery.

Area of Service/ Purpose of Visit Follow up

Marche Region of Italy and Helsinki ss part of NILGA’s iEER project (EU funded project with range of European Partners)

Date:April & September 2022

Dept: Economic Development –Skills and Entrepreneurship

The consortium shares best practice and ideas around key areas including:

• Tackling the impacts of COVID-19 on entrepreneurship ecosystems.

• Support for young people and female entrepreneurs.

• Social entrepreneurship for inclusive recovery.

• Making regional policy fit for the new normal.

• Building green skills for recovery.

Lessons learnt includes ideas and approaches to integrate into the new NI Entrepreneurship Support Service.

The work on supporting the green economy and IT start-ups in Helsinki, Poland and the Marche Region of Italy was inspirational. NILGA could not take part in further extensions of this programme as we are no longer in the EU.

Various

Date: Ongoing Dept: Economic DevelopmentInvestment and Place

As part of the Hydrogen Training Academy development and delivery, and in developing the hydrogen economy and CleanTech proposition for Mid and East Antrim, a range of best practice visits took place throughout 2022/23.

The purpose was to increase knowledge and understanding across public and private sectors in relation to the emerging green economy.

Site visits included the Long Mountain Electrolyser and Wind Farm, Hydrogen Refuelling Station at Duncrue, and Wrightbus.

Officers hosted a range of public and private stakeholders for demonstrations of the ‘H2 Gas Safe Lab’ at Silverwood Business Park, Ballymena to demonstrate hydrogen blending capability. Delegates were from across the UK and Ireland.

The site visits played a pivotal role in the development of training courses, and the H2 Gas Safe Lab demonstrations have helped to generate buy-in from across the hydrogen supply chain for upskilling and training activities.

These site visits also helped to increase knowledge, awareness and understanding which informed the development of the CleanTech proposition for the Borough.

The Hydrogen Training Academy continues to provide training and upskilling opportunities in the areas of hydrogen to both public and private sectors.

Association of Town and City Management

Date: Ongoing

Dept: Economic DevelopmentTown Centres

Enterprising Women Exchange

Date: March 2023

Dept: Economic Development Skills and Entrepreneurship

Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Date: Ongoing

Dept: Policy Team

The Council is an active member of the Association of Town and City Management.

Offers representation at various levels of government and provides a forum of support, best practice, and networking to support healthy high streets.

Stormont Executive DfE / SIB Energy Forum

Date: Ongoing Dept: Operations / Building Services

Best practice exchange with female entrepreneurs and networking organisations.

Exploring opportunities for further networking, female entrepreneurship and PeacePlus projects.

Rural Area Network Actions raised brought to relevant Council Department(s) for consideration.

Northern Ireland Public Sector Energy Managers Forum

Date:Ongoing Dept: Operations / Building Services

Energy policy representatives from the Stormont Executive, DfE, Strategic Investment Board, and partner councils meet on a regular basis to share learning and ensure a joinedup approach for the delivery of energy efficiency and renewable technology projects.

This body consists of energy and estate managers from across NILA and the wider NI public sector, NIHE, and central government department heads. Meetings take place periodically. Staff and sector experts share best practice, learning, and experience.

Shared learning, collaborative approach to energy policy development, management system objective setting, and EE investment opportunities.

We have revised established processes to implement best practice and learning, and build good relationships with public sector and industry colleagues to develop our understanding of emerging technologies.

Electric Vehicle Consortium for Local Authorities

Date: Ongoing

Dept: Operations / Building Services Climate and Sustainability

Arney and Nixon Hall Community Trails Fermanagh and Omagh

Date: Ongoing

Dept: Communities / Parks Development/ Outdoor Recreation

Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Oxford Island

Date:Ongoing

Dept: Communities/ Parks Development/ Outdoor Recreation

Lisburn and Castlereagh

Interactive Trail

Date: Ongoing

Dept: Communities/ Parks Development/ Outdoor Recreation

Newry, Mourne and Down, Castlewellan Forest Park

Date: March 2023

Dept: Economic Development Skills and Entrepreneurship

Bangor Castle, Ards and North Down Borough Council

Date: Ongoing

Dept: Communities/ Park Development/ Sustainable Dev

Area of Service/ Purpose of Visit Follow up

Development of a joined-up approach to procuring, installing, and operating the public charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.

Opportunity to identify risk register items for current and future projects, design control measures for same, and develop specifications suited to procurement of material portion and service delivery of EV infrastructure projects.

Area of Service/ Purpose of Visit Follow up

Development of community trails as indicated by the Outdoor Recreation Strategy. Look at lessons learned and successes from the project.

Opportunity for development with future funding in small settlements within the Borough.

Northern Ireland Building Regulations Advisory Committee

Date: Ongoing Dept: Planning and Building Control

NI Craft Maker Forum

Date: March 2023 Dept: Tourism

Participation in debate and development of proposed revision to Building Regulations and allied legislation.

Information communicated to staff. Building Control structure reviewed, and new structure currently being implemented. Responded to Central Government consultations from an informed position on behalf of Council.

To network and build contacts. Staff member implemented new methods in delivering events to improve visitor experience. Networking resulted in new event at Arthur Cottage involving Quilters from local groups.

Review of new play park to consider install approach, issues encountered and learning.

Opportunity for implementation of learning, particularly in relation to Carnfunnock Country Park redevelopment.

Devon

Date: March 2023 Dept: Tourism

Tourism benchmarking visit to see how Devon develop and promote their food offering through Clusters.

Lessons learnt:

• Clusters need to be industry led.

• Collaboration takes time and is built on trust.

• Council should put in frameworks to support clusters.

Actions taken:

• Officers planning on developing Food trail along Causeway Coastal Route.

Development of community trails as indicated by Outdoor Recreation Strategy. Looks at lessons learned and successes from the project.

Opportunity for implementation of learning, particularly in relation to Carnfunnock Country Park redevelopment.

Wicklow/Dublin

Date: January 2023 Dept: Tourism

Tourism benchmarking educational visit to see tourist attractions in Republic of Ireland.

• Officers investigating opportunities of developing Foodie Events in the Borough.

• Looking at collaboration with Causeway Coast and Glens Council on foodie experiences.

Lessons learnt:

• Community engagement and support is vital.

Review of new play park to consider install approach, issues encountered and learning.

Opportunity for implementation of learning, particularly in relation to Carnfunnock Country Park redevelopment.

Review of Sustainability in action - Tour of walled garden, meeting apprentices, and viewing sustainable planting areas.

Opportunity for implementation of learning, particularly in relation to training of staff in development and operations.

• Confidence in our local product is lacking when we should be very proud of what we have to offer and how well we are already delivering for guests.

• Customer feedback is essential.

Actions taken:

• Working groups for new City Deal projects are being reviewed with Community Engagement a core focus.

• Renewed focus on product development and collaboration between local attractions.

• New feedback system has been implemented at ‘The Gobbins’.

COAST ROAD

BRAID BANNSIDE

BALLYMENA

CARRICK CASTLE

Tel: 0300 1245 000 enquiries@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk

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