Agenda item

Purpose: To highlight successes and where performance has fallen below the expected level, to present information on the remedial action taken, and the impact of that action.

Catalin Bogos (Performance, Consultation and Risk Manager) presented the Quarterly Performance Report for Quarter Four 2022/23 (Agenda Item 10).

The following points were raised in the debate:

·       Members asked about difficulties in recording visits to children in care. It was acknowledged that there were issues around recruitment and retention of staff. It took time to train agency staff, so the priority was to ensure that visits took place, with recordings completed later. Members were assured that efforts were being made to improve performance in this area.

·       A question was asked around the number of metrics overall and the proportion that were red / amber. Officers did not have the precise number, but stressed that the reports showed how the Council was performing across core business areas rather than focusing on the percentage of metrics that were red / amber. Overall, four core business areas were rated as green based on a basket of measures, six areas were rated as amber and just one was red, which related to planning application determination. It was noted that the new Council Strategy was coming to Council for approval in October 2023, which would have a more focused set of KPIs

·       Members noted that many of the targets were aligned to national averages and queried whether the Council should be more aspirational and look more to authorities that were similar to West Berkshire. It was explained that targets were set with reference to a range of intelligence, including national averages, statistical neighbours, the level of resources allocated to particular functions, etc. It was suggested that targets were aspirational in many areas.

·       Members highlighted the poor performance in relation to average attainment for children on free school meals. It was explained that this was a difficult target for the Council to achieve. Funding was allocated on a per pupil basis and smaller schools may only have two or three eligible pupils, which made it harder to provide additional support than in schools with larger numbers of eligible pupils, where funding could be pooled to pay for additional resources. It was confirmed that officers were looking at this and considering how additional resources could be allocated. Although the overall number of affected pupils was small, they were not achieving their potential. Members suggested that this should be considered for inclusion in the Commission’s work programme.

·       Members observed lots of variation in the extent to which targets were not achieved and suggested that there should be an additional category for large variances (e.g. a black rating). It was confirmed that the categories referred to percentage difference relative to the thresholds - up to 5% variance was classified as amber and more than 5% variance was classified as red. Exceptions could be made for KPIs where numbers were very small.

·       There was some discussion about ES-KPI-118. It was noted that this was an average attainment score rather than a percentage of pupils reaching an expected level.

·       Members expressed concern at the lack of progress in securing landowner commitment to nature recovery and indicated that they would like to hear more about how this was progressing. It was stressed that Members needed to be mindful about weighting for indicators where numbers were low. In this case, the target was two and one scheme had been delivered, which resulted in a 50% variance. The need for ongoing conversations with landowners was recognised. It was suggested that the Environment Advisory Group should discuss this.

·       Members highlighted areas where there was good performance, including the Youth Offending Team, which had maintained its ‘outstanding’ rating by Ofsted, and the refurbished lido, which was on schedule to open soon. Members thanked the officers involved.

RESOLVED to note the report.