Agenda item

The Assistant Chief Executive will report on progress made in delivering against the Council’s performance management framework (copy attached). In addition, there will be a report on the delivery against the Council’s Business Plan 2022-2025 as at the end of Quarter 4. Report number ACE2304 submitted to the Cabinet on 6 June 2023 can be found here.

The Committee welcomed Rachel Barker, Assistant Chief Executive who was in attendance to report on progress made in delivering against the Council’s performance management framework and Quarter 4 of the Council’s Business Plan 2022-25.

The Council’s Performance Management Framework, which had been refreshed in June 2023, was developed to act as a tool to strengthen performance management within the authority and to ensure delivery against priorities. The framework provided a consistent approach to the way performance and quality was managed, monitored, reviewed and reported across the organisation.

Performance management was in place to monitor outputs and performance indicators (PIs), alongside being a tool to drive improvement on performance across the organisation. It was advised that performance management should not be considered as separate from the day-to-day management of the Council and should be used as a tool to plan, review and revise cycles over different timescales and at different levels within the organisation. For example, there was:

·         a long-term cycle that set and reviewed the Council’s priorities;

·         annual service planning and target setting; and

·         quarterly collection and review of performance information

The quarterly performance monitoring cycle consisted of a number of stages, starting with data requests from services at the end of the quarter. This was followed by a review stage including, engagement with Portfolio Holders and the Corporate Management Team. Cabinet then reviewed and approved the quarterly monitoring documents before the Committee considered the document and identified areas for more in depth scrutiny.

The Committee were advised on progress in delivering the 2022/23 Performance Management Framework. It was advised that alongside the approval of the quarterly monitoring and the annual report (in quarter 4), an update on the Council’s key strategies and plans had been presented to the Cabinet in quarters one and three. All services had produced service plans for 2023/24 and the Council Plan 2023-26 had been agreed. In addition, a Performance Management audit had been carried out with an outcome of Assurance Level – Substantial, with a number of recommendations to take forward.

Ms Barker, reported on the vision for the Office of Local Government (Oflog). The vision had been to provide authoritative and accessible data and analysis about the performance of local government, and to support improvement. To understand local government performance, Oflog would draw on the best available data and evidence, would improve access to data increasing transparency and fostering accountability – while also highlighting excellence and showcasing success and, would play a significant role in wider work to establish a stronger accountability framework, including identifying and supporting at-risk councils. A watching brief would be undertaken on the development of Oflog’s work.

Moving forward for 2023/24, quarterly monitoring would continue with quarter one due to Cabinet in August, 2023. Services would be asked to refresh their service plans and the Performance Management Audit recommendations made in 2022/23, would be incorporated into the framework.

The Committee were asked to consider how their role in reviewing the Council Plan monitoring could be developed.

The Committee discussed the report and raised a number of queries and comments,

·         Data – need to ensure meaningful and accurate, to allow the Committee to drill down into what isn’t working effectively. It was suggested that areas for scrutiny could be considered at the next Progress Group  meeting.

·         Dashboard – information at a glance. It was noted that the Team were working on options for a dashboard with the Transformation Task and Finish Group.

·         Task and Finish Group – use of smaller groups to look at areas identified in more detail and engage with relevant Service Managers

·         Work Plan – consider the list identified on the Committee’s Work Plan and link to Council Plan where appropriate

ACTION:

The Chairman thanked Ms Barker for her report.