Agenda item

To consider a report by the Assistant Chief Executive (Customer Access and Performance) which presents a summary of the quarter 2 performance data  for 2011-12 and provides an update on the progress in delivering the priorities in the Council Business Plan which are relevant to this Board.

(Report attached)

The Assistant Chief Executive (Customer Access and Performance) submitted a report which presented a summary of the quarter 2 performance data relevant to Scrutiny Board (Resources and Council Services).

The following officers attended the meeting and responded to Members questions and comments:

-  Doug Meeson - Chief Officer, Financial Management,

-  Lee Hemsworth – Chief Officer, Intelligence and Improvement

-  Heather Pinches – Performance Manager

The Performance Manager detailed to the Board the new performance management reporting arrangements which include a number of new reports including;  Performance Reports for the each of the City Priority Plan priorities and for the 5Cross-Council Priorities in the Council Business Plan.  Directorate Priorities and Indicators for each directorate which sets out the high level progress against each of the directorates’ priorities and indicators in the Council Business Plan and Self Assessment.

In brief summary, the main areas of discussion were:

• The cost to the authority in managing the performance regime and how the collected data was used in driving improvement across the authority and within partners.
• Concerns about a number of areas where the indicator had still to be developed and that this didn’t hinder performance in those areas
• The need (where applicable) to use numbers and percentages to explain performance
• The need to recognise that some priorities were linked, for example Treating People Fairly and Working with Communities and that there might be expertise in the third sector to help drive improvement in these areas and a recognition that the current indicators used were good.
• The improvements seen in the number of staff appraisals undertaken and acknowledgment that the initial findings of the staff survey should be available in the New Year.
• An explanation of the managers and employee’s self service project and the operational difficulties being experienced in its development
• The need to reconsider the RAG status given to the delivery of budget savings through procurement. This was currently Green but predicted savings would not be achieved.
• The acknowledgment that the development of category management was green.
• The affect the ELI scheme may potentially have on achieving the service improvements required
• The use of the £8.4 million VAT rebate.
• The acknowledgement that all Scrutiny Boards would be considering relevant performance data and that this could be used to hold Directors and Executive Board Members to account

The following additional information was requested.

• A report from procurement on how end of contracts are monitored and managed
• The cost of Leeds Initiative and its Boards
• Further detail in relation to staff appraisals and the reasons for some staff members not having had an appraisal
• The number of residents involved in the 2010 research project
• Current and projected ELI figures

RESOLVED –

(i)  To note the progress in relation to the delivery of the Cross Council Priorities in the Council Business Plan. 

(ii)  To note the progress in relation to the directorate priorities and indicators within the Council Business Plan that fall within the remit of the Resources and Council Services Scrutiny Board.

(iii)  To request the additional information as detailed above