Agenda item

To consider a report of Head of Policy, Performance and Improvement presenting the Quarter 2 action trackers which summarised progress against the Leeds Strategic Plan improvement priorities relevant to the City Development Scrutiny Board for the first six months of 2009/10.

The Head of Policy and Performance submitted a report presenting an overview of performance against the priority outcomes relevant to the City Services Scrutiny Board, including an analysis of performance indicator results at the end of Quarter 2 so that the Board may understand and challenge current performance.

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents:-

a)  A summary sheet showing the overall progress rating against the improvement priorities relevant to the City Development Scrutiny Board (Appendix 1 refers)

b)  Amber and red related action trackers which include a contextual update as well as key performance indicator results (Appendix 2 refers)

c)  Performance Indicator report containing two quarter results for all performance indicators which can be reported in year from the National Indicator set and any local indicator which were relevant (Appendix 3 refers)

The following officers were in attendance and responded to Member’s queries and comments:-

Paul Maney, Head of Strategic Planning, Policy and Performance, City Development

Fiona McAnespie, Senior Performance and Improvement Manager, City Development

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

·  Performance Indicator LSP – EE1A – clarification as to why the Council was over-performing in relation to supporting the establishment of new business in deprived communities

(The Head of Strategic Planning, Policy and Performance responded and made specific reference to the implications of the current recession and further explained that this indicator tracks the total number of businesses and was provided by an independent economic modelling tool based on the Experian business database)

·  Performance Indicator LSP – EE1A – the need for a new local indicator to be provided on how many people stay in a job and on the survival rate of businesses

(The Head of Strategic Planning, Policy and Performance responded and suggested that this could be an issue to consider at the Performance Working Group)

·  Improvement Priority – TR-16 – Improving the quality, capacity, use and accessibility of public transport services in Leeds – the concerns expressed were that not all the relevant factors were listed in the action trackers i.e. no specific reference to the recent failure to get additional rail carriages and the pending higher bus fares due in 2010 by First Bus

(The Head of Strategic Planning, Policy and Performance responded and commented that there were some difficulties obtaining all the relevant information particularly from external organisations, but confirmed that he would be delighted to receive further relevant information which could then be included to give a more complete picture of performance.)

·  the difficulties of increasing the number of bus passengers and getting people out of their cars when buses in the city were run by a private company where profit is the main criteria for running services

(Councillor R Downes, in his capacity as Chair of West Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority, updated the meeting on the current issues within Metro, with specific reference to proposed 6% cuts to services this year; introduction of Quality Bus contracts and a recent trial undertaken in South Yorkshire.  The Head of Strategic Planning, Policy and Performance responded and acknowledged the above comments)

·  clarification as to how the car share scheme could be included in the Performance Indicator figures with a view expressed that travelling by bus was not cost-effective

(The Board’s Principal Scrutiny Adviser responded and informed the meeting that this issue was under the remit of the City and Regional Scrutiny Board. The Head of Strategic Planning, Policy and Performance agreed that it would be possible to consider how this information could be used in relation wider improvement priority and suggested it could be raised at the Performance Working Group)

·  Performance Indicator LSP-TPIE – Increase the number of new customers on low incomes accessing credit union services – change of targets

(The Head of Strategic Planning, Policy and Performance responded and confirmed that the figures had been reviewed and were now felt to be more realistic targets)

RESOLVED –

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

b)  That the Head of Strategic Planning, Policy and Performancebe requested to investigate those issues raised by Board Members with a view to including them in future performance reports.