Service delivery by Rutland County Council has dropped against targets in some areas.

The Council's Performance Report 2022-2023 shows how the council is doing when it comes to areas such as providing housing, public health, keeping streets clean, and looking after adults and children.

In the first quarter of this year, the council achieved 69 per cent of its targets, while that figure fell to 67 per cent for the second quarter of this year.

Speaking at a meeting of the council's cabinet on Tuesday (November 14), Coun Andrew Johnson (Lib Dem) said: "While the report shows no significant change in the performance of the council, there has been a slight downturn in our delivery."

He added: "Some examples of where our performance targets have been good include fly tipping, which is significantly down; inspected street and environmental cleanliness – still well above target; the percentage of waste which is sent for recycling has risen by five per cent; and adult re-enablement has increased to 91 per cent, against a national average of 78 per cent.

Targets not being met include aspects of social care, looked-after children, and house-building rates, which remain low and affect the availability of affordable housing.

The council's figures come from 136 key indicators.

Cllr Tim Smith (Lib Dem) said some of the targets the council has set itself relating to support given to families were 'challenging'.

Leader of Rutland County Council, Cllr Gale Waller (Lib Dem), added: "The points you make about targets being challenging are most pertinent – because if we are setting challenging targets we must expect occasionally for them not to be met. But I think it important that we do set challenging targets."

She added that outside agencies were involved in some areas being measured, and this meant they could be at the mercy of NHS staffing problems, as an example.

"We mustn't beat ourselves up about something that is frankly quite outside of our control," she said.

Cllr Paul Browne (Lib Dem) said: "We can see from the report that the numbers of affordable houses built and the number of affordable homes which are available for rent both have a zero figure, despite our targets."

He said the problem was not just covid, but that few new housing estates were currently being completed – although this would change later this year, with up to 100 homes becoming available.

Cllr Johnson said: "It is really important that the council is open and honest with residents, and I think this report is a really good exercise in transparency – and residents should be very pleased that 'off target' and 'near target' areas are shown indicating where the council needs to improve.

"It also shows that the council knows it needs to improve."

He added that he had been initially very cynical about such reports but now realises its importance in helping the council measuring and improving service levels.

Performance is reported to cabinet four times a year.