Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement.

The Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement submitted a report which charted progress against a raft of both national and local performance indicators in respect of services and areas which fell within the remit of the Board.

In attendance at the meeting, and responding to Members queries and comments, were:-

-  Councillor R Brett, Leader of the Council and Executive Member (Central and Corporate Functions).

-  Nicole Jackson, Assistant Chief Executive (Corporate Governance).

-  James Rogers, Assistant Chief Executive (Planning, Policy and Improvement).

-  Doug Meeson, Chief Officer (Financial Management).

-  Helena Phillips, Chief Officer (Resources and Strategy.

-  Steve Carey, Acting Chief Officer (Revenues and Benefits).

-  Alex Watson, Corporate HR.

-  Heather Pinches, Chief Executive’s Department.

In brief summary, the main issues discussed were:-

·  In terms of the Council Business Plan Improvement Priorities, of the 39 listed for Central and Corporate functions, good progress was being made in 24 of these areas, and of the 15 indicators showing an ‘amber’ indicator, i.e. in need of improvement, 9 were indeed improving, with only 6 static.  There were no ‘red’ indicators.

·  It was agreed that Board Members would be separately supplied with more detailed information regarding indicators BP-23 and BP-25a, in particular how many ‘top earners’ were women from BME (black and minority ethnic) communities.

·  NI-179 – Value for Money – it was reported that the Council was on target to achieve VFM efficiency savings of over £24m this financial year, largely on revenue items. This was against the Government’s 3% target of over £28m, but this target did also include capital schemes. It was noted that Leeds, like other authorities, had found it difficult to identify efficiency gains from capital spending.  It was recognised that delivery of efficiency gains was important not just in terms of national government targets, but  also in the light of predicted future pressures on public finances.

·  Adult Social Care - £2.6 million ‘efficiencies’ within the Support and Enablement Service – were these true efficiency savings, or had this figure been achieved by cutting services to vulnerable people?  Further information requested.

·  BSC-8 – Percentage of undisputed invoices paid by the Council within 30 days – performance during the year had been affected by  a variety of factors, such as incomplete information on an invoice, but the Council received very few complaints and the assumption was that generally the Council was regarded as a good payer and there was confidence amongst suppliers that the Council would pay its creditors..

·  PFI project governance arrangements – it was explained that this related to internal project management issues and formed part of the ‘Delivering Successful Change’ initiative – it would not affect public consultation procedures.

·  Employing disability status statistics – Members requested more detailed information on the outcome of the BSC employee survey carried out last year.

·  Some concern was expressed at the very detailed and somewhat complicated current form of presentation of the Performance Monitoring information, and the necessity for the A.3 colour copies. The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development was requested to liaise with the report authors to see if, in future, a simplified document or summary could be produced showing key issues, trends and concerns.

RESOLVED – That subject to the above comments and requests for further information, the report be received and noted.

(NB:-

1)  Councillor P Grahame declared a personal interest in this item in her capacity as a member of the Swardale Swarcliffe Eastwood Residents Association.

2)  Councillor A Lowe left the meeting at 11:33 am, during the consideration of this item.)