Agenda item

To review a Cabinet report outlining the council’s performance management framework, and to consider the year 1 corporate delivery plan and associated performance metrics. For scrutiny members to provide comments to the Cabinet member for Corporate Services.

Cabinet member for corporate services, Councillor Andrea Powell, introduced the report. Comments were welcomed on this item.

The planned new structured approach to performance management will ensure we can monitor progress on objectives with openness and accountability (a council commitment). We can focus our limited resources on areas needed or deemed a corporate priority and report with transparency. We may adjust activities in light of results.

·       Corporate plan is the strategic context.

·       Priority projects in the plan provide the operational parameters

·       SMT and Cabinet have been working to populate the year one delivery programme, and to identify appropriate measures and to ensure that the service teams are putting work plans in place and are engaged in the process.

4 components to the report presented:

·       Paper to introduce the plan – context for the framework and year one delivery plan.

·       Draft framework - Approach, reporting timelines, the way in which applied at all levels – to ensure cohesion and accountability

·       Year one delivery plan – measures applied to projects, frequency of reporting and ownership.

·       Interim performance report – since October 2020. Work achieved so far in qualitative and quantitative measures.

Focus of this meeting is on process not framework content – how do we roll out and monitor success?

Cabinet member recognised the number of staff involved and the ownership. We won’t be burdening officers with too much monitoring that would negatively affect delivery.

Statutory and operational KPIs will still continue to be collected but are outside of this framework.

Comments made as follows:

·       Congratulations given on the work done.

·       Inclusion and diversity – felt the report was more accessible. Diversity communications plan is being developed.

·       Page 8 in the meeting pack – list of points, ranking based on a survey, it was discussed whether the quantitative values used could be shown. It was answered that the data is found in the published public engagement survey results. Other members felt that more quantitative data is not needed, but some clarification / context of the different priorities per council could be useful.

·       Page 9 – service teams setting goals – what is sign off procedure for goals? Cabinet members will be briefed on teams work.

·       Year one measures – how are all the different areas working on a priority pulled together and reported on, and how will it be scrutinised? E.g. delivery of new council homes. It was answered that there will be a headline report for each theme. Then the separate projects will be reported on. We are always looking to improve processes, and we may find technologies to support this, so you can drill down to specifics.

·       Will a diversity and inclusion champion be established? It was responded that the inclusion and diversity strategy is to be progressed, and adaptation of measures will happen as this progresses. Reference made to 0A3.

·       Mix of narrative and quantitative data provided and well explained. Well written report.

·       New measures will be used to define success and these will adapt as we progress, as appropriate.

·       Discussion over timeliness of reporting – how long will it take for reports to reach scrutiny, considering as reports can sometimes be 2 months after quarter end date? What target will be set? It was responded, as soon as is possible. Depends on schedule of meetings, resourcing and data availability. Chair added that scheduling of scrutiny meetings could change to fit reporting. We need to finalise the measures first, then aim for the first meeting in the next quarter.