Performance Improvement Plan 2022 to 2023, Progress Report - April 2022 to March 2023

The Local Government Act (NI) 2014 put in place a framework to support continuous improvement in the delivery of council services. Each year, we must set one or more Improvement Objectives and have appropriate arrangements in place to achieve them.

The information published on this page is also available as a downloadable PDF (1MB)

1.0 Performance Improvement Plan 2022 to 2023

The Local Government Act (NI) 2014 put in place a framework to support continuous improvement in the delivery of council services. Each year, we must set one or more Improvement Objectives and have appropriate arrangements in place to achieve them.

Continuous improvement is a key priority for us. We will keep transforming how we do things to make sure we continue to meet the needs of our local communities, businesses and visitors. We want to remain adaptable and resilient, to flex and respond to our ever-changing environment.

We demonstrate our commitment to this through the development and implementation of an annual Performance Improvement Plan, alongside our other strategies and plans.

In our Performance Improvement Plan for 2022 to 2023, we set out what we hoped to achieve, how we planned to do it and how our citizens would be better off as a result. It did not detail every improvement we intended to make, but focused on the key areas identified for improvement through Community and Corporate Planning processes, stakeholder engagement and research analysis.

Our objectives delivered improvement in all seven of the Improvement Areas specified in the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014:

Strategic effectiveness
Service quality
Service availability
Efficiency
Fairness
Sustainability
Innovation

Our Improvement Objectives

We identified six objectives for delivery during 2022 to 2023 and beyond:

1. Growing the economy and creating jobs.
Supporting the historic conservation of Carrickfergus, contributing to the sustainability of the local economy.
Supporting MEA citizens’ health and wellbeing by providing quality, inclusive play and recreation facilities, and promoting safe and responsible outdoor recreation.
Improving infrastructure to encourage electric vehicle uptake in the Borough to reduce emissions and protect the environment for future generations.
Creating an Autism Friendly Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.
Improving customer engagement and service delivery by enhancing the Council’s use of information technology.

2.0 Annual Performance Summary

Each of our six Improvement Objectives were supported by a Project Initiation Document (PID), which outlined the outcomes and indicators that 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.

20 Outcomes: April 2022 – March 2023

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.

26 Indicators: April 2022 - March 2023

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.

Key Achievements

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

3.0 Results

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 Council1. 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 live1. 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 20202. Between 2019 to 2021, over 2,410 jobs were lost in Mid and East Antrim3.
Who is responsible?	Director of Development

Why

You said ‘investment to grow the economy, create jobs and attract tourists’ was one of the most important forms of investment for Council*1.
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*1.
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*2.
Between 2019 to 2021, over 2,410 jobs were lost in Mid and East Antrim*3.

Who is
responsible?

Director of Development

*1 Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Household Survey 2018.
*2 Northern Ireland Neighbourhood Information Service, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).
*3 NISRA Confirmed Redundancy Trend Tables, published February 2022.

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

	Our aim	How did we do this year
Outcomes What you will see	A series of preemployment programmes to upskill and enable residents to access employment opportunities that provide a progressive career pathway.	12 programmes were delivered over the course of the year including the ‘Hydrogen Academy’, ‘Transport 2’, ‘Transport 3’, ‘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, and the ‘Female Manufacturing Academy’.
	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.
	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.
Indicators How we will measure progress	7 employability programmes or academies delivered by March 2023.	12 programmes delivered.
	120 participants engaged.	327 participants engaged across 12 programmes, as follows – ‘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).
	20 qualifications achieved.	225 qualifications achieved across 7 programmes, as follows - Hydrogen (105), Transport (18), Childminding (45), Access All Areas (6), Community Skills (25), Manufacturing (8), and Female Manufacturing (18).
	10 participants progressing to Further Education.	21 participants progressed to further education across 4 programmes, as follows - Health and Social Care Academy (11), Transport (7), Female Manufacturing (2), and Manufacturing (1).
	60 participants gaining employment or selfemployment.	60 participants gained employment across 8 programmes, as follows - 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).
	85*⁴ jobs promoted through the ‘Go for It’ Programme by March 2023.	124 jobs promoted.
	Major Planning applications processed within an average of 30 weeks by March 2023.	We achieved an average processing time of 47.6 weeks. No council in Northern Ireland met the standard in 2022/23.
	Local Planning applications processed within an average of 15 weeks by March 2023.	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.
	70% of planning enforcement cases concluded within 39 weeks by March 2023.	The most recent data available is for the year-to-date period April to September 2022, where a result of 91.2% was achieved.

*4 The statutory target of ‘85’, applicable in May 2022, did not increase to ‘111’ as expected during the 2022 to 2023 financial year

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

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

	Our aim	How did we do this year
Outcomes What you will see	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.*5	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.
	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.
	Increased inward investment and local employment opportunities related both directly and indirectly to heritage and tourism growth.*⁶	The square footage of floor space restored or converted for use will be established upon project completion in September 2023.
Indicators How we will measure progress	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.
	An Education Programme completed by 31 March 2023.	Whilst largely complete, a final booklet will be developed, and a closing event scheduled by 31 October 2023
	Increased floor space for retail, commercial or residential use by 31 March 2023.	This will be established upon completion of the programme.

*⁵ Timescales were updated following funder approval to extend the scheme to 31 March 2023.
*⁶ 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

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

	Our aim	How did we do this year
Outcomes What you will see	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.
	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.
	A programme of training and development opportunities for people to take part in safe and sustainable outdoor recreation.	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). 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.
Indicators How we will measure progress	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 significant weather events.
	3 new or upgraded Multi Use Games (MUGAs) or ‘kick-about’ areas by March 2023: - Portglenone - Carnlough - Glynn	The status of each MUGA or ‘kick-about’ area is as follows: 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 outdoor safety training courses delivered by March 2023.	5 courses were delivered by 31 May 2023.
	A minimum of 50 participants across the five programmes.	152 people participated in the 5 courses.

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

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 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*7.
Who is responsible?	Director of Operations

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 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*7.

Who is
responsible?

Director of Operations

	Our aim	How did we do this year
Outcomes What you will see	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. *⁸	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.
	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). ⁸ ⁹	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 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 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.
Indicators How we will measure progress	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 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. 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.

*⁸ Please note deviation from the Performance Improvement Plan Consultation Document - project timescales were extended and targets updated.
*⁹ 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.10. 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 5.0% within the school aged population.10. 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*11.
Who is responsible?	Director of Community

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.*10.
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 5.0% within the school aged population.*10.
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*11.

Who is
responsible?

Director of Community

*¹⁰ “Prevalence of Autism (including Asperger Syndrome) in School Age Children in Northern Ireland” Department of Health and NISRA (2023)
*¹¹ Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Household Survey 2018.

	Our aim	How did we do this year
Outcomes What you will see	The continued rollout of an awareness raising programme.	7 workshops were delivered during 2022/23. ‘Autism-Friendly 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. Four 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 two in April 2023. We have a waiting list of 142 individuals registered for this training. Between March and April 2023, 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 created 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.
	Additional Council venues becoming ‘Autism Friendly’ places*¹².	Though later than anticipated, 4 Council venues are expected to complete their ‘Autism-Friendly’ action plans by September 2023.
	IAdditional Council staff recognised as ‘Autism Champions’, to advocate on behalf of individuals with autism within Council venues and events.	We expect to have 4 additional ‘Autism Champions’ within Council by September 2023.
	The continued rollout of ‘Just A Minute’ (JAM) Awareness Training to Council staff.	103 staff members took part in ‘Just a Minute’ awareness training by 31 March 2023.
Indicators How we will measure progress	Four additional ‘Autism Friendly’, virtual or in-person, public awareness sessions held for businesses, Council staff or the local community by March 2023.	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.
	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 action plans for formal accreditation by September 2023. This target is included within the Performance Improvement Plan for 2023/24.
	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.
	An additional 100 Council staff completing ‘Just A Minute’ (JAM) Awareness Training by March 2023.	103 additional Council staff completed JAM awareness training.

*¹² Note deviation from Performance Improvement Plan Consultation Document – Outcome and Indicator were amended – internal action plans will be delivered, rather than external formal recognition.

Improving customer engagement and service delivery by enhancing 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*13.
Who is responsible?	Director of Corporate Services

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*13.

Who is
responsible?

Director of Corporate Services

*¹³ Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Household Survey 2018.

	Our aim	How did we do this year
Outcomes What you will see	The continued implementation of Council’s Agile Framework, through the delivery of a number of citizen-focused projects to include:
	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 customer-facing 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 anticipated timeline for completion is 30 September 2023. This outcome is included within the Performance Improvement Plan for 2023/24.
Indicators How we will measure progress	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.

4.0 Update on previous Improvement Objectives

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.

Objective	Outcome	Key Performance Indicator	Status
2021 to 2022
Improve customer engagement and service delivery by enhancing our use of information technology.	A redesign of the Council website developed from user experience feedback (Phase two).	Completion of the three outstanding outcomes in relation to this Improvement objective as outlined in the Performance Improvement Plan 2021 to 2022.	The website is going to be considered as part of ‘Customer-First’ workstream.
	Deliver ‘Community Centre Digital Connectivity’ via Full Fibre NI.		Full fibre was installed in all Council community centres by March 2023. Internet connectivity is expected to complete by September 2023. This action is included within the Performance Improvement Plan for 2023/24.
	Council Procurement Portal.		The contract management module is installed and implemented for all new contracts. Staff training was delivered.
Development of Sullatober Household Recycling Centre.	A larger site with improved infrastructure and accessibility to maximise re-use and recycling.	6,500m2 site by 31 March 2022.	The new recycling centre opened at Sullatober in May 2022.
		Increase recycling rate by 23.2% by 31 March 2023.	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 opened in May 2022. This target will remain until March 2024.
		1,046 additional tonnes of recycling by 31 March 2023.	940 tonnes achieved, due to initial ‘settling in’. This target will remain until March 2024.
		12 additional tonnes of reused materials by 31 March 2023.	8 tonnes achieved, due to initial ‘settling in’. This target will remain until March 2024.
	Financial savings by compacting waste and reduction in fuel consumption.	50% reduction in containers hauled per newly compacted material by 31 March 2023.	20% achieved. This target will remain until March 2024.
		Reduce tCO2e by 800 by 31 March 2023.	287 tonnes, due to initial ‘settling in. This target will remain until March 2024.
	A more effective and efficient service with increased customer satisfaction and value for money for ratepayers.	Increased rate of customer satisfaction.	Customer satisfaction surveys conducted in 2021 and 2022 indicate an increase in satisfaction for ‘accessibility, ‘movement around the site’ and ‘sufficient site size’.
Encourage people to value our natural environment through the promotion of the Green Dog Walkers scheme.	Responsible dog ownership through increased participation and support of the Green Dog Walkers Scheme.	At least 1,500 active Green Dog Walker Pledges by March 2021.	The number of Green Dog Walker pledges in May 2023 was 1,596.
	A marketing and promotional campaign to challenge attitudes and change behaviours.	A further 2 organisations committed to taking action by March 2021.	By January 2023, 18 community groups were participating in the scheme.
	A cleaner borough.	A 10% reduction in the number of dog fouling complaints by March 2021.	There was a 24% reduction in dog foul complaints in 2022/23 compared with the previous year.
		A reduction in the number of residents perceiving dog fouling to be an issue in our local areas.	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.

You can view previous Performance Improvement Plans at on this website.

5.0 Statutory Performance Indicators

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

In 2022/23, these were set in the functional areas of Economic Development, Planning and Waste Management. Our arrangements to meet them are through the delivery of our services. They are detailed in our annual business plans, and included in our Improvement Objectives, where possible.

We monitor them closely and publish performance updates on our website every three months.

Our 2022/23 performance

Our annual performance is summarised to the right and analysed in more detail in the pages that follow, where possible.

The Department for the Economy, the Department for Infrastructure and the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs also collate this information and publish the results.

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

Indicator	Target	Annual Result
The average processing time of major planning applications.	A maximum of 30 weeks.	47.6 Weeks
The average processing time of local planning applications.	A maximum of 15 weeks.	8.6 Weeks
The % of enforcement cases concluded within 39 weeks.	A minimum of 70%.	91.2% (April to September 2022)
The number of jobs promoted through business start-up activity.	A minimum of 85 jobs.	124 jobs
The % of household waste collected by district Councils that is sent for recycling.	At least 50%.	51.4% *14
The amount of biodegradable Local Authority Collected Municipal Waste that is landfilled.	A maximum of 16,387 tonnes.	14,599 tonnes *14
The amount (tonnage) of Local Authority Collected Municipal Waste arisings.	N/A*15	73,433 tonnes *14

*¹⁴ Final Waste figures for 2022/23 will be audited and publicly released by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency in December 2023.

*¹⁵ There is a requirement by the Department for Communities that each council sets and monitors its own individual target for this indicator annually.

Trend analysis

The following pages outline our comparable performance over the last eight years in meeting the statutory standards.

Planning

In their annual bulletin, the Department for Infrastructure note 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 Department has published annual data for two of the three statutory planning indicators (April 2022 to March 2023).

During this time, we remained within the standard set for one of these indicators. Data is only available for the first six months of the year for enforcement conclusion times.

At 47.6 weeks, we were within the top three performing councils in NI for the average processing time of major planning applications in 2022/23. The shortest average processing time was 46.4 weeks, followed by 47 weeks. No council met the standard, with an average time among the councils of 57.8 weeks, an 8 week increase on last year.

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.

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 target of 15 weeks. We were one of three local councils to meet the statutory target during this period, with a NI council average of 19 weeks. We have achieved the standard every year since 2015/16 and reduced our average processing time by one week in 2022/23 compared with the previous year.

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 publication of annual data.

Economic Development

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. We were the top performing Council in Northern Ireland for this indicator in 2022/23 and have exceeded the target every year since 2015/16.

Waste

We remain within the standard for all three statutory performance indicators for Waste.

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%, down slightly on the previous year’s rate of 51.9%.

We saw an increase in biodegradable waste collected sent to landfill at 14,599 tonnes in 2022/23, from 14,528 the previous year. This is the third consecutive rise 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 to report on our performance.

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 presented at the kerbside, household recycling centres and commercial waste.

We ran a number of programmes during the year 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.

6.0 Improvement Objectives 2022 to 2023 Summary

Improvement Objective	What you will see	By when *17
Growing the economy and creating jobs.	A series of pre-employment programmes to upskill and enable residents to access employment opportunities that provide a progressive career pathway. The promotion of new jobs in the Borough by successfully delivering the ‘Go for It’ Programme. An effective and efficient Planning Service to maximise economic development.	March 2023
Supporting the historic conservation of Carrickfergus, contributing to the sustainability of the local economy.	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. The local community will have a better understanding of built heritage. Increased inward investment and local employment opportunities related both directly and indirectly to heritage and tourism growth.	March 2023
Supporting MEA citizens’ health and wellbeing by providing quality, inclusive play and recreation facilities, and promoting safe and responsible outdoor recreation.	The delivery of four replacement Play Parks across the Borough. Three new or upgraded Multi Use Games Areas (MUGAs) or ‘kick about’ areas. A programme of training and development opportunities for people to take part in safe and sustainable outdoor recreation.	March 2023
Improving infrastructure to encourage electric vehicle uptake in the Borough to reduce emissions and protect the environment for future generations.	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. A minimum of 12 ‘fast’ chargers (22kW, charge in 1 to 2 hours) installed throughout the Borough by September 2023, as part of the On Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS). A communications and awareness campaign to influence behavioural change toward electric vehicle use.	December 2023
Creating an Autism Friendly Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.	The continued rollout of an awareness raising programme. 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.	March 2023
Improving customer engagement and service delivery by enhancing Council’s use of information technology.	The continued implementation of Council’s Agile Framework, through delivery of a number of citizen focused projects to include: A redesign of Council’s website, developed from user experience feedback (Phase 3). An expansion of the Automated Customer Call System into an additional service area. The implementation of the new Northern Ireland Planning Portal for Mid and East Antrim. The digital transformation of at least one customer facing service.	March 2023

*¹⁷ Timelines are subject to change