Appendix B-Corporate Improvement Plan completed actions

001 Developing a clear view of where partnership resources can be focused to improve service outcomes (LINKED TO AGS 2)

CIP 001.01

Resource Mapping exercise undertaken and presented to LSP board

31-Aug-2011

Sarah Robson

Phase two of the resource mapping exercise was presented to the LSP Board and Delivery Group at the LSP Away Day on 1 April 2011.

CIP 001.02

Decisions made by the LSP on the future allocation of resources

30-Apr-2011

Sarah Robson

002 Monitoring effectiveness of counter fraud partnership with Tunbridge Wells

CIP 002.01

Provide the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and the Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee with an update on the operation of the counter fraud partnership

31-Aug-2010

Steve McGinnes

Following a request from the Audit Committee and further to discussion with the Overview and Scrutiny Manager, it was agreed that an update would be provided to the Audit Committee instead of Overview and Scrutiny. A presentation was made to the Committee on the 20.09.2010, with agreement for future updated to be provided annually.

003 Addressing the outstanding learning and development issues from the IIP reassessment and equality impact assessments

CIP 003.01

Create action plan of outstanding L&D issues to be implemented before reassessment

31-Jan-2011

Tina Edwards

Re-accreditation for IIP was gained in March 2011. Tina is currently on leave- further update awaited

CIP 003.02

Undertake child protection training

30-Apr-2010

Claire Hayes

CIP 003.03

Include Transgender training on the new corporate training calendar

30-Jun-2011

Claire Hayes

Sessions added in quarterly for 2010/11

004 Improve areas of weakness where Audit reports have shown a level of assurance lower than substantial one area remains outstanding since March 2009: Aspects of section 106 Agreements

CIP 004.01

Undertake  six monthly follow-up review by Internal Audit on these areas to ensure recommendations have been implemented

30-Sep-2010

Brian Parsons

This is an ongoing process. All reports are followed-up after six months. Where action has not been taken, the Head of Service is made aware in a report, with a copy to the Director and the Chief Executive. If this occurs in an area where only limited control assurance was in place at the time of the original audit, the lack of action will be reported to a meeting of the Audit Committee.

005 Further work is required to build on work currently undertaken by the Council with partners on delivering outcomes for the public.

CIP 005

Further work is required to build on work currently undertaken by the Council with partners on delivering outcomes for the public.

30-Sep-2010

Zena Cooke

The work to incorporate the Safer Maidstone Partnership and the Local Children's Trust Board into the Local Strategic Partnership arrangements has been completed. Further work in relation to partnership working and delivering outcomes with partners will be undertaken as part of the Locality Board arrangements and will also be monitored as part of the Community Partnerships Team Service Plan.

006 Develop and implement a Waste and Recycling Strategy

CIP 006.01

Research existing strategies, particularly amongst waste partnerships

30-Apr-2010

Jennifer Gosling

Existing strategies have been researched and reference visits to Southend on Sea and Tunbridge Wells have been undertaken to learn about different recycling strategies. Maidstone's Waste and Recycling Strategy has now been drafted and links with the existing Kent Waste Strategy and Sustainable Community Strategy.

CIP 006.02

Develop a short strategy for the Cabinet Member for Environment to approve

30-Apr-2010

Jennifer Gosling

The Waste and Recycling Strategy 2010 - 2015 was approved on Friday 24th September 2010.

CIP 006.03

Implement Waste and Recycling Strategy

31-May-2010

Jennifer Gosling

The strategy was approved on 24th September 2010 and implementation has started on the new food waste collection service. The strategy will be implemented over the next 5 years.

007 Ensure that the finance section has the appropriate skill mix to meet the more challenging reporting requirements of IFRS.

CIP 007.01

Annual Training Programme of Seminars and Workshops

31-Mar-2010

Claire Hayes; Paul Riley

CIP 007.02

Undertake Internal Development of team members through cross training

30-Jun-2010

Claire Hayes; Paul Riley

CIP 007.03

Enhance team through filling vacancy

28-Feb-2010

Paul Riley

008 Implement strategies for managing the expectations of consultees

CIP 008.01

Review of consultation handbook and toolkit carried out as part of communication strategy

31-Dec-2009

Roger Adley

Review was completed in December 2009 and the revised handbook and tool-kit has been rolled out to staff.

CIP 008.02

Present handbook and toolkit to members and officers

31-Mar-2010

Roger Adley

The revised consultation handbook and tool-kit have been rolled out. A presentation on the handbook has been given to section managers and was also undertaken with the staff forum.

CIP 008.03

Actions developed to manage the expectations of consultees

31-Jul-2010

Roger Adley; Angela Woodhouse

The consultation toolkit includes advice to ensure that this is considered at the onset.

009 Demonstrating improved service delivery and customer satisfaction from Council initiatives (e.g. Gateway)

CIP 009.01

Evaluate results from the 2009 mystery shopping exercise

30-Jun-2010

Sandra Marchant

The results from the 2009 Mystery Shopping programme have been analysed and a report was submitted to Corporate Management Team and agreed on 3 August 2010.

CIP 009.02

Undertake mystery shopping exercise and evaluate results

30-Jun-2011

Sandra Marchant

The final report from the 2010 Kent Wide Mystery Shopping exercise has been issued.

CIP 009.03

Benchmark performance of Contact team through KCSNG

31-Oct-2010

Sandra Marchant

Another Measurement and Benchmarking exercise was completed in November 2010 and results form across Kent will be available at the end of January. The KCSNG have agreed to continue to run the exercise on a quarterly basis.

CIP 009.04

Undertake benchmarking with the national one stop shop benchmarking group

28-Feb-2011

Sandra Marchant

Data for the annual National One Stop Shop (NOSS) benchmarking exercise was submitted in June 2010 for the year 2009 to 2010. The overall results have now been issued to members of the group submitting data.

CIP 009.05

Review customer care charter

30-Apr-2010

Sandra Marchant

A Customer Care Charter has been drawn up but still requires agreement from the Head of Communications and then reported to Management Team for final approval.

010 Ensuring evolving partnerships maintain principles of good governance

CIP 010.01

Carry out assessments of key partnerships

30-Apr-2010

Sarah Robson

The LSP delivery groups and partners was finalised in June 2011. However, the next stage will be to manage the transition from LSP to Locality Board.

CIP 010.02

Review partnership protocol

30-Sep-2010

Sarah Robson

The partnership protocol has been completed and endorsed at Committee. SR to upload onto Community Partnerships Sharepoint site and promote internally.

011 The council considers and tracks with its significant partners the impact on users when making decisions on reducing costs.

CIP 011.01

Work with KCC to cordinate the effects of savings on inter-organisations

31-Oct-2010

Paul Riley

Development work completed through the MTFS at a strategic level, ongoing dialogue and coordination now part of relevant managers' service plans

CIP 011.02

Expand the consultation on the budget strategy and the MTFS to include the impact of the identification savings with partners

31-Dec-2010

Paul Riley

This work has been completed as part of the MTFS. Ongoing consultation on savings targets will be a formal part of the annual budget strategy process

CIP 011.03

Work with the LSP on the resource mapping project and feed into the MTFS

31-Dec-2010

Paul Riley

LSP resource mapping project on track, initial results received, further work progressing.

012 Progress and monitor action plans to improve satisfaction on those services where one in five people were dissatisfied with the service.

CIP 012.01

Assess the possible use of mosaic to raise satisfaction

30-Sep-2010

Georgia Hawkes

The 2008 Place survey results have been submitted for analysis using Mosaic Public sector and the results are expected shortly. This will give information on how different types of people answered the questions in the Place Survey, including satisfaction with specific services and overall satisfaction with the way the Council runs things. These results could then be used to try and influence people's perceptions of the Council and the services it provides. However, as central government has removed the requirement to undertake the Place Survey and the Council has taken a decision not to undertake a similar survey for the present, there is no way of measuring this and comparing with the original Place Survey results.

CIP 012.02

Continue to monitor the action plans and present reports to Cabinet

31-Oct-2010

Angela Woodhouse

Report went to Cabinet May 2010

013 The authority has made a commitment to carbon reduction and has established a Climate Change Strategy.  Ensure that the Strategy is successfully implemented over the next three years.

CIP 013.01

To develop the Carbon Reduction Action Plan in conjunction with the Energy Saving Trust One-to-One Programme

30-Apr-2010

Jenny Hunt

The Carbon Reduction Action Plan was developed and 15 actions were taken forward. Although this was never developed into published action plan due to delays with the Climate Change Framework amid central government policy changes, these have now all been delivered. The Carbon Reduction Action Plan will be updated in due course to reflect the work undertaken and to move this forward.

CIP 013.02

To implement the actions of the Carbon Reduction Plan and report back progress and update the action plan on a yearly basis

30-Mar-2011

Jenny Hunt

The 15 actions that were chosen to form part of the Carbon Reduction Action Plan have now been delivered. The Carbon Reduction Action Plan will now be updated to reflect this progress and to move this action plan forward.

014 Seek technical advice when accounting for complex capital transactions, discuss proposed action with the external auditor early on so that the accounting treatment can be agreed prior to productions of draft financial statements

CIP 014.01

Ensure that all future quarterly review meetings with Auditor include an agenda item on issues that may involve complex accounting transactions.

30-Mar-2011

Paul Riley

This has now been achieved

015 The Council should review asset valuations at each year-end considering both impairment and other material changes in asset values

CIP 015.01

Request, as part of annual review of 20% of assets, an assessment of material changes in all asset values.

31-May-2010

Chris Finch; Paul Riley

complete

016 Once the Council has taken a decision to dispose of an asset this should be re-categorised from operational assets to non-operational assets, surplus for resale, and revalued to market valuation obtained prior to sale in accordance with the SORP

CIP 016.01

Identify process in closedown procedure and formally reconcile actions with asset sales detailed in usable capital receipts / cabinet member decisions

31-May-2010

Paul Holland; Gill West

017 Prime council tax records should be retained until completion of the annual audit, and otherwise in accordance with the Council’s document retention policy.

CIP 017.01

Set up share point site accessible to revenues team to hold records of VO balancing

28-Feb-2010

Steve McGinnes

An area has been created within the existing Revs and Bens team site to provide a full audit trail.

018 Promoting the role of the Audit Committee in ensuring action plans are implemented and contributing to risk identification

CIP 018.01

Consideration given to a review being carried out across the four MKIP authorities of the audit committees.

30-Mar-2010

Brian Parsons

Review agreed by all four MKIP authorities in September 2010

CIP 018.02

Commission the IDeA to carry out a review of the Council’s Audit Committee The role of the Committee in ensuring action plans are implemented and risk identification will be considered as part of the review.

30-Jun-2010

Brian Parsons

The IDeA commissioned via proposal in August 2010

CIP 018.03

Present findings to the Audit Committee on the options for future development.

30-Jun-2010

Brian Parsons

The report arising from the LGID review was presented to the Audit Committee on the 17 January 2011. The Committee agreed to create an action plan and will meet informally to agree the detail to be included. The Plan will be endorsed at the next formal meeting of the Committee on 21 March 2011, and will be implemented over the coming months.

019 Use customer and staff feedback to improve the way the Council delivers services

CIP 019.02

Involve staff in the service planning process

04-Mar-2011

Angela Woodhouse

Staff events have been held to discuss the new priorities. New guidance and support has been issued to managers

CIP 019.03

Carry out consultation on the Strategic Plan

31-Jan-2011

Angela Woodhouse

Consultation carried out with staff and customers

CIP 019.04

Learn from complaints by spotting trends at first stage

31-Jan-2011

Ellie Kershaw; Ellie* Kershaw

Complaints are analysed for their reasons and then reported to CMT and the Standards Committee

CIP 019.05

Consider staff engagement as part of the Councils Communication Strategy

30-Apr-2011

Roger Adley

CIP 019.06

Create an intranet site with information on the demographics etc of those living in the borough

30-Jun-2011

Georgia Hawkes

New intranet page created under Business Improvement site with links to KCC's facts and figures pages and other useful links e.g. Kent Police, health statistics etc. Unit Managers will now be asked for any other useful links they are aware of.

CIP 019.07

Service specific reviews supported by business improvement to include the use of customer feedback & insight

30-Apr-2011

Georgia Hawkes

When Business Improvement support other teams in making improvements customer feedback and customer insight e.g. Mosaic is always used. For example, Mosaic has been used to support Waste and Recycling - maximising take up of services and maximising volunteers for the Mote Park improvements. In 2011 work will also start with Private sector Housing and customer feedback through complaints and surveys will be considered and the customers of the service will be examined and profiled using Mosaic.

020 Determine the top priorities of the Council and ensure that plans, policies and strategies link to these

CIP 020.01

Define the Council's top three priorities and use these to determine the focus of the Council in terms of members, staff, finances and partnership working.

31-Jan-2011

Angela Woodhouse

CIP 020.02

Develop a budget strategy action plan to show where efficiencies and savings will be delivered

31-Jan-2011

Paul Riley

CIP 020.03

Project management toolkit presentation at unit managers meeting

31-Mar-2011

Georgia Hawkes

Presentation on the Project Management Toolkit made to Unit Managers meeting in March 2011.

CIP 020.04

Research project sponsor training for management team

31-Mar-2011

Georgia Hawkes

Project Sponsor training will be carried out with Senior Management Team in November 2011.