Agenda item

Purpose: To consider the quarter one outturns for the core business measures which monitor performance against the 2019/20 Council Performance Framework and in particular the timeliness of reviews of clients with ASC long term service.

The Commission considered a report (Agenda Item 9) concerning the Council’s Key Accountable Performance at Quarter One. Work was being undertaken to finalise the Council Strategy Delivery Plan which would feed in targets to the quarterly performance framework. One measure was showing as red against the target, namely reviews of Adult Social Care clients receiving a long term service. Additional information had been circulated which demonstrated a considerable improvement in performance as of 20 October 2019.

Councillor Alan Law stated that it was very unusual to receive a performance report which included no targets. Catalin Bogos advised that in this document, performance against core business measures were reported against targets carried forward from the previous year.

Councillor James Cole queried the need for both tables relating to empty business properties on page 61 of the agenda; Catalin Bogos explained that they were provided for clarity. Councillor Cole suggested that graphs might better display the Council’s performance than the spreadsheets and asked for more information on point 7 on page 58 which stated that 7/14 major ICT projects were behind schedule. Catalin Bogos agreed to provide more information.

Councillor Jeff Brooks expressed the view that the information provided in the report was woolly and more information was required to provide a clearer picture of the Council’s performance. Catalin Bogos advised that more detail was provided in exceptions reports for any indicators with amber or red status. The purpose of the report was to provide a rounded view and was not intended to reproduce information discussed at Corporate Programme Board. Councillor Brooks stated that he was not comfortable that there was enough rigour.

Nick Carter explained that the same targets as the previous year were being used until the major piece of work to produce the Council Strategy Delivery Plan was completed. The only indicator off track at present related to Adult Social Care reviews of clients receiving a long term service. The performance report in the main reported the Council’s business as usual activities whereas the Corporate Programme oversaw a number of transformation projects.

Councillor Lee Dillon noted that previously it had been agreed that Members of the Commission would consider targets before they were agreed by the Executive. Councillor Law agreed that indicators should be considered proactively and stated that he would like a small Task Group to be compiled to review the draft Council Strategy Delivery Plan ahead of determination by the Executive.

On the subject on Long Term Service reviews, Councillor Dillon stated that in future he would like the exception report to include a prediction of what level of performance could be expected through the mitigating actions taken, if not the original target. Catalin Bogos stated that amber was used to indicate where performance was off track but expected to meet the target by year end. He would amend the exception report template to include a prediction of how close performance could get to the target for red indicators.

Councillor Dillon suggested that information on the size of empty business properties would be helpful and there was more of a relationship to the economy and Council’s income.

Councillor Law stated that in future he would like to see the performance report quicker.

Councillor Brooks sought to clarify whether Catalin Bogos’ role was to push Heads of Service to improve performance. Catalin Bogos advised that while resource in his team was limited his role did include pressing services and working with Heads of Service to clarify how performance issues would be addressed. He also made recommendations to the Executive to review issues in key areas.

Resolved that:

(1)       The report was noted.

(2)       Catalin Bogos would provide additional information regarding Major ICT Projects.

(3)       Catalin Bogos to amend the exception report template to include a prediction of how close performance could get to the target for red indicators.