The Performance Monitoring Panel of South Holland Council met on Tuesday 26 May 2026 to review the council's performance across various services. Key discussions were scheduled to include an update on the Castle Sports Swimming Pool pump, the Q4 performance report for 2025-26, and the Housing Annual Complaints and Service Improvement Report. The panel was also set to receive an update on garden waste collection rounds and review its own work programme.

Castle Sports Swimming Pool Pump Update

The panel was scheduled to receive an update on the ongoing issues with the pump at the Castle Sports Swimming Pool in Spalding. The report detailed a timeline of events following the pump's failure in February 2026, including attempts at repair and the eventual decision to return the pump to the manufacturer for assessment. The report noted that the pump was still in manufacture in Italy as of 22 May 2026, with lead times significantly longer than initially advised. The manufacturer's diagnosis pointed to cavitation¹ as the likely cause of the failure, a process previously experienced with older equipment at the pool. The report highlighted potential reputational risk to the council due to public perception of the ongoing issues. The panel was recommended to note the issue and make any appropriate recommendations.

Q4 Performance Report 25-26

The Performance Monitoring Panel was scheduled to review the council's performance for the period of January to March 2026. The report indicated that 87% of the council's performance metrics were on target, with 8% slightly below target and 5% significantly under target. Key areas of under-performance included the percentage of corporate complaints responded to within set timescales, which dropped slightly to 76.92% against a target of 95%, and the percentage of homelessness prevention cases that resulted in the customer not becoming homeless, which fell to 46.67% against a target of 50%. The report also detailed performance across various indicators including planning application determination times, recycling rates, and housing benefit processing speeds.

Housing Annual Complaints and Service Improvement Report

The panel was scheduled to scrutinise the Housing Annual Complaints and Service Improvement Report for 2025/26 and review the self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman Code. The report indicated a decrease in both Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints compared to the previous year, with 189 Stage 1 complaints received and 97.88% responded to within target timescales. Of the Stage 1 complaints, 66% were upheld, and 50% of Stage 2 complaints were upheld. The report highlighted that contractor performance and communication remained the most common drivers of upheld complaints, with heating repairs and damp, condensation, and mould (DCM) works being areas of concern. Service improvements planned for the coming year included strengthening feedback mechanisms, improving the collection and usage of demographic information to support vulnerable tenants, and working with tenants to produce a clearer leaflet on the complaints process. The self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman Code identified seven areas for further improvement, including complaint workshops for staff and contractors, and a review of transactional surveys to ensure they include signposting to the complaints process.

Garden Waste Collection Rounds Update

An update was scheduled regarding the garden waste collection service, including the introduction of new rounds across the district. The report noted that 12,199 residents subscribe to the service, and historically, rounds were based on defined geographical areas. The redesign aimed to optimise routes for efficiency and enable all residents to subscribe. While 99.78% of collections were made on schedule in 2025/26, an issue was identified with the software used to manage the collection rounds, which led to incorrect information being displayed on the council's website for affected subscribers. This issue has since been resolved, and the new rounds are operating effectively. A review has been commissioned to understand the cause of the software issue and identify lessons learned.

Performance Monitoring Panel Work Programme

The panel was scheduled to review its Work Programme for 2026/27. Appendix 1 outlined proposed agenda items for future meetings, including performance reports, updates on specific services, and budget scrutiny. Appendix 2 detailed ongoing task groups, such as the Swimming Pool and Leisure Centre Contract Task Group and the Effectiveness of CCTV Task Group. The panel was invited to consider the report and identify any additional items for discussion to ensure the Work Programme remains relevant and up-to-date.