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COMMUNITIES, HOUSING AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

16 APRIL 2019

 

Key Performance Indicators 2019-20

 

Final Decision-Maker

Communities, Housing and Environment Committee

Lead Head of Service/Lead Director

Angela Woodhouse Head of Policy, Communications and Governance

Lead Officer and Report Author

Anna Collier, Policy and Information Manager

Classification

Public

 

Wards affected

All

 

 

Executive Summary

The Council has recently approved a new Strategic Plan for 2019-45.  The Committee are asked to consider new key performance indicators that measure achievement of the Council’s priorities for 2019-20.

 

 

This report makes the following recommendations to Communities, Housing and Environment Committee

 

That the draft Key Performance Indicators for 2019-20, attached as Appendix 1, be recommended to the Policy and Resources Committee.

 

 

 

Timetable

Meeting

Date

Corporate Leadership Team

19/03/2019

Heritage Culture and Leisure Committee

02/04/2019

Communities Housing and Environment Committee

16/04/2019

Policy and Resources Committee

24/04/2019



Key Performance Indicators 2019-20

 

 

 

1.   INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

 

1.1     The Council has approved a new Strategic Plan for 2019-45 and agreed four new priorities:

 

·         Embracing Growth and Enabling Infrastructure

·         Safe Clean and Green

·         Homes and Communities

·         A Thriving Place

 

1.2     Indicators are reviewed at the start of each year and following the creation of the new Strategic Plan and priorities, changes will be required.

 

1.3     The Draft set of new Key Performance Indicators have been reviewed with Heads of Service and Corporate Leadership Team and can be reviewed at Appendix 1, set out by priority.

 

1.4     As part of the review of this year’s indicators, feedback has been given by officers and Members.  Drop in sessions were arranged at the town hall for Members to come and review the new indicators.  Eight Members in total attended.

 

Reports

 

1.5     Members are understandably increasingly concerned about the cost of providing services and ensuring that resources are well invested. Whilst both the Finance and Policy and Information team have worked hard to bring both reports together to Committee as early as possible following the end of each quarter, it is not providing Members with the clarity they need. Therefore the quarterly budget and performance reports will be merged; and presented as one single report firstly to Corporate Leadership Team and then the relevant budgets and indicators to each Committee.

 

1.6     Providing a single report, as is done by authorities elsewhere, will provide greater transparency on whether performance reflects the investment or whether further investment needs to be made.

 

1.7     Over the last few years the Policy and Information Team has included ‘information only’ indicators to provide Members with the wider context of the Council’s impact and the environment in which the Council is operating.

 

1.8     These do not always work best with the performance report as they are not targetable indicators. This does not mean that the information is not important but perhaps not best included in a performance report.

 

1.9     What will be produced instead is an annual strategic update to each committee on each of the four new priorities. This report would contain a range of performance data and contextual data as well as progress on the outcomes identified in the Strategic Plan, and key projects.

 

2.        AVAILABLE OPTIONS

 

Make a recommendation to Policy and Resources Committee to stop performance monitoring

 

2.1     Though it is considered best practice, some authorities have chosen to drop performance management or produce performance data which they publish on their website.

 

2.2     This is not recommended as monitoring performance ensures oversight and challenge to the delivery of the Council’s priority action areas and mitigates risk of the Council not delivering its priorities and key services.

 

Make a recommendation to Policy and Resources Committee to keep the current set of indicators

 

2.3     A set of indicators is currently in place and is being reported to Committees. Whilst these indicators could be realigned to the new priorities they do not fully reflect the changes that have been made in the new Strategic Plan.

 

2.4     This is not recommended at the new set has been produced in consultation with Heads of Service following feedback from Members and therefore represents the best set of indicators to meet our current planned outcomes. 

 

Make a recommendation to Policy and Resources Committee to agree the draft set of indicators

 

2.5     Appendix 1 shows the list of proposed Key Performance indicators for 2019-20 set out by the new priorities in the Strategic Plan 2019-45. The indicators were developed with Heads of Service and have been commented on by some Members.

 

2.6     Members could also choose to increase, reduce or change any targets or amend suggest new indicators.

 

 

3.        PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

3.1     The Committee is asked to consider which indicators will best measure and track progress against the Council’s priorities and make a recommendation to Policy and Resources that those indicators and targets for 2019-20 are agreed.

 

 

4.       RISK

4.1    The risks associated with this proposal, including the risks if the Council does not act as recommended, have been considered in line with the Council’s Risk Management Framework. The production of robust performance reports ensures that the view of the Council’s approach to the management of risk and use of resources is not undermined and allows early action to be taken in order to mitigate the risk of not achieving targets and outcomes. We are satisfied that the risks associated are within the Council’s risk appetite and will be managed as per the Policy.

 

5.       CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

 

5.1     Performance is reported to each committee each quarter. Members often request future changes or express points of view on either the indicators or performance management generally. Notes have been taken of these for application in the current set and proposed approach.

 

5.2     A drop-in session was held for all Members on the 5th and 6th of March. Eight members attended and the results can be seen at Appendix 2

 

 

 

6.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

 

6.1     Each Committee will have the opportunity to feed into the final set of indicators at committee meetings in April prior to final agreement by Policy and Resources.

 

6.2     Once the indicators are agreed Heads of Service and Managers will be informed and the reports set up in time for first reporting.

 

6.3     The Performance and Budget report will be added to each Committees work programme for 2019-20.

 

 

7.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

 

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

Impact on Corporate Priorities

We do not expect the recommendations will by themselves materially affect achievement of corporate priorities.  However, they will support the Council’s overall achievement of its aims The performance management process monitors delivery of the Councils Strategic Plan 2019-45 and plays an important role in the achievement of corporate objectives. They also cover a

wide range of services and priority areas, for example waste and recycling.

Anna Collier Policy and Information Manager

Risk Management

The production of robust performance reports ensures that the view of the Council’s approach to the management of risk and use of resources is not undermined and allows early action to be taken in order to mitigate the risk of not achieving targets and outcomes.

Anna Collier Policy and Information Manager

Financial

The proposals set out in the recommendation are all within already approved budgetary headings and so need no new funding for implementation.

Section 151 Officer & Finance Team

Staffing

We will deliver the recommendations with our current staffing

Anna Collier Policy and Information Manager

Legal

Acting on the recommendations is within the Council’s Powers. There is no statutory duty to report regularly on the Council’s performance. However, under Section 3 of the Local Government Act 1999 (as amended) a best value authority has a statutory duty

to secure continuous improvement in the way in which its functions are exercised having regard to a combination of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. One of the purposes of the Key Performance Indicators is to facilitate the improvement of the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of Council Services. Regular reports on the Council’s performance assist in demonstrating best value and compliance with the statutory

duty.

Anna Collier Policy and Information Manager

Privacy and Data Protection

The recommendations do not propose a change in service therefore will not require a data protection impact assessment

Anna Collier Policy and Information Manager

Equalities

The recommendations do not propose a change in service therefore will not require an equalities impact assessment

Anna Collier Policy and Information Manager

Public Health

We recognise that the recommendations will not negatively impact on population health or that of individuals.

Anna Collier Policy and Information Manager

Crime and Disorder

No impact

Anna Collier Policy and Information Manager

Procurement

No Impact

Anna Collier Policy and Information Manager

 

8.        REPORT APPENDICES

 

·         Appendix 1: Key Performance Indicators by Committee

·         Appendix 2: Member Feedback

 

 

9.        BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

None