The Performance Monitoring Panel of South Holland Council met on Tuesday, 10 March 2026, to review the Council's performance in the third quarter of the 2025-26 financial year. The meeting agenda included updates on key performance indicators, a review of implemented planning decisions, and discussions on housing stock condition and service access.

Q3 Performance Report 2025-26

The Panel was scheduled to receive an update on the Council's performance for the period of October to December 2025. The report, detailed in Appendix A of the Q3 Performance Report 2025-26¹, highlighted that 87% of the Council's performance metrics were positive against targets, with 10% slightly below target and 3% significantly under target. Key areas of underperformance noted included the percentage of corporate complaints responded to within corporately set timescales, which had dropped to 77.5% against a target of 95%. The report also indicated that the percentage of fly-tips collected within five working days of being reported was slightly off target for the first time that year. Discussions were expected to cover the reasons for these underperformances and ongoing work to address them.

Review of Implemented Planning Decisions

A report was scheduled to be presented on the conclusions of the Planning Committee regarding a review of implemented planning decisions. This review, which involved a tour of development sites undertaken by members, aimed to assess the quality of decisions and development outcomes. The report noted that no new comments or issues were raised at the Planning Committee meeting on 7 January 2026, following the initial presentation of conclusions to the Performance Monitoring Panel. The recommendations from the review included continuing the implemented planning decisions tour every two years and extending invitations to members of the Planning Committee. The report detailed observations from site visits, including concerns about the lack of private front gardens, uniform design and material finishes on larger schemes, the siting of refuse collection points, and the provision and maintenance of open spaces.

Housing Stock Condition Survey

The Panel was scheduled to receive an update on the findings from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) stock condition surveys, which had been undertaken between October 2024 and January 2026. The report, presented by the Assistant Director – Housing, aimed to provide an overview of the findings and how this data informs the HRA Business Plan and future investment programmes. The survey covered 90.33% of the HRA stock, with detailed analysis of property condition, Decent Homes assessments, and Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) surveys. The report indicated that most components were achieving their expected lifespan, with only a small proportion requiring earlier replacement. It also highlighted the implications for meeting the Decent Homes standard and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), with plans for ongoing surveys and energy assessments.

Housing Landlord Service - Access to Service

This item was scheduled to analyse the access to the Housing Landlord Service across key protected characteristics. The report aimed to assess whether service provision remains accessible, fair, and compliant with the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) Consumer Standards. The analysis, based on data from April 2024 to December 2025, examined engagement with services such as repairs, rent arrears, complaints, and anti-social behaviour reports. While generally showing proportionate access across most protected characteristics, the report identified some marginally lower access rates for specific ethnic minorities, nationalities, and age groups, particularly concerning repairs access for younger tenants. An action plan was proposed to address these areas and enhance communication pathways.

Briefing Note on Anglian Water Protocols

A briefing note was scheduled to provide members with an overview of the implications of water infrastructure issues on planning decisions. This followed a presentation by Anglian Water at a previous meeting, which discussed their role in the planning process, their performance in South Holland, and planned network improvements. The briefing note was expected to address Anglian Water's increasingly robust approach to responding to planning applications, including their view that network capacity issues are a material planning consideration. It was anticipated that the note would outline the Council's proposed strategy for responding to Anglian Water's objections, particularly concerning allocated housing sites and unallocated sites, and the appropriate use of planning conditions.

Performance Monitoring Panel Work Programme

The Panel was scheduled to review its Work Programme for the remainder of the municipal year. This included noting the dates of future Panel meetings and proposed items for consideration, as well as reviewing the identified task groups. The report aimed to ensure the Panel's Work Programme remained relevant and up-to-date, allowing members to monitor progress and identify any new items for inclusion.