Agenda item

To consider a report of the Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement on the Leeds Strategic Plan Performance Report for Quarter 4 2008/09.

The Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement submitted a report which provided a strategic overview of performance against those improvement priorities in the Leeds Strategic Plan (LSP) which related directly to City Development priorities.  The report and appendices provided an overall assessment of progress against the improvement priorities relevant to the Board and, in addition, provided performance indicator (PI) information for the full National Indicator Set and locally agreed indicators that were appropriate. Performance indicator targets were included across the range of priorities in this area and highlighted areas of under-performance and/or concern in relation to improvement priorities and actions being taken to remedy matters.

Paul Maney, Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement, City Development was in attendance and responded to Members’ queries and comments. He introduced the report and provided the Board with a brief overview of the main Leeds Strategic Plan themes where the directorate take a lead role and drew attention to some of the key areas of performance related to the directorates objectives and priorities for 2009/10.

For ease of reference, the Chair invited Board Members to comment on those areas of under performance and/or of concern in relation to the improvement priorities.

In summary, specific reference was made to the following issues:-

• whether some of the targets may not be sufficiently challenging or appropriate

(The Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement responded and explained that although he considered the amount of green indicators to be a reflection of good, focused performance, the situation for amending/setting targets was quite complex. Some targets were agreed with the Government; statutory partners; and from the National Indicator Set and have fixed levels of achievement which can be process based milestone indicators. This meant that performance would be shown as green, provided certain targets had been reached. There were also a range of locally set targets where performance can be measured in relation to more specific issues)

• a view was expressed that the performance indicators were too city-wide and not area based for Members who wanted information at a ward level in order for it to be meaningful

(The Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement responded and explained that whilst this was often desirable, in most cases the information was not available at this level; also, where information could be broken down, it was often the case that low numbers or insufficient data meant the information then became meaningless. It had been recognised that better intelligence was needed and work had commenced both corporately and within the directorate, to identify where this level of information was available and how it can then be developed)

• the lack of an indicator relating to high infant mortality rate, especially within deprived areas of the city

(The Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement responded that although this area resides in the Health & Wellbeing theme of the Leeds Strategic Plan and does not directly relate to City Development, he confirmed that he was aware of work being undertaken by the Council and its various partners on this issue)

• (Ref PI NI 8) - the need to raise cultural awareness to enable more people to become involved in sport

(The Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement responded and referred to the work currently being undertaken in relation to introducing a new ‘City’ card which would provide the directorate with more statistical information on the cultural use of facilities)

• (Ref PI NI 48) – Members welcomed the reduction in the number of road accidents resulting in children being killed and the initiatives to promote the use of seatbelts

(The Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement confirmed that in relation to casualties, although the 2008 figure had been the lowest recorded since 1974, the downward trend had flattened. However a number of initiatives were being pursued to address this. He also confirmed that there was an upward trend in pedestrian fatalities within the 20-29 age group. According to a number of roadside surveys undertaken by City Development, on average one in four adults were observed not wearing seat belts and this supported the need for initiatives such as the Seat Belt On? campaign where the directorate was undertaking seatbelt awareness campaigns at schools and colleges and had good media support)

• (Ref PI LKI 215A) - clarification of street lighting response times for repairs

(The Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement responded and outlined the current protocol with Scottish Electric Contracting (SEC)

concerning repairs and progress with the street lighting replacement programme under a PFI scheme and the significant improvement in this respect. He also referred to some historic problems with YEDL which were still affecting the performance in relation to LKI 215B) 

• (Ref PI NI 166) - clarification of the impact of the current economic downturn and whether the performance indicator was conveying the true picture

(The Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement responded and informed the meeting that the figures were not yet available in relation to the employment rate)

• the need for recycling centres to extend their hours of opening on a week-end

(The Board’s Principal Scrutiny Adviser responded and agreed to refer the above issue to the Scrutiny Board (Environment and Neighbourhoods) to consider)

• (Ref PI NI 175) - the need to continue to develop safer routes for cyclists

(The Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement responded and informed the meeting that cycling in the city was increasing, but as a consequence, the number of accidents involving cyclists was also increasing. The Board noted that there was a proposed strategy to introduce 16 cycle routes into the city as one measure to combat this trend and that this work would continue as funding has been secured for the next two years)

• (Ref PI NI 176) - the need to have access to more local targets/statistics in relation to Metro issues

(The Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement responded and informed the Board that the information was collected at a regional level and whilst there were cost implications related to obtaining this at a more local level, discussions were continuing with the West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority to try and resolve this issue)

• (Ref PI NI 198) - Members expressed concerns that only 50% of schools had travel plans in place
• the need for regular monitoring of infrastructures to identify potential problems at an early stage i.e. inadequate electricity to tower blocks and the maintenance of collapsed sewers

(The Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement responded that in planning terms, building regulations were continually updated and covered the health and safety aspect related to appropriateness of lifts/fire escapes in tower blocks. It was suggested by the Board’s Principal Scrutiny Adviser  that the inadequate supply of electricity to tower blocks was a matter for Scrutiny Board (Environment & Neighbourhoods). In relation to the state of the city’s sewer and drainage systems, it was confirmed that over the past 2 years considerable survey work had been undertaken in relation to the flood alleviation scheme design guide and vision currently under consultation in partnership with the Environment Agency)

• clarification if changes could be made to the Local Area Agreement

(The Board’s Principal Scrutiny Adviser responded and confirmed that changes could be only made to the agreement, which was incorporated in the Council's Strategic Plan, when it was due for renewal)

RESOLVED –

a)  That the content of the report and appendices be noted.

b)  That Area Committees should receive performance information which was area based and that the Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement) consider how this data could be developed at a ward level.

c)  That a working group be established to review performance targets which have been set locally comprising of the following Members:-

·  Councillor R Pryke

·  Councillor S Bentley

·  Councillor T Murray

·  Councillor N Taggart