Agenda item

Cabinet received a report that detailed the performance of the key performance measures reported through the Corporate Performance Framework for 2021/22. Latest performance outturns and targets for the quarter 3 period were reported alongside trend and benchmarking information, where available.

RESOLVED –

(1)          That the Council’s performance for the Quarter 3 period 2021-22 be noted.

(2)          That the actions being taken to improve performance, where required, be noted.

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources, Property and Assets introduced the report which comprised the following two items:

·                The performance report, which provided details of the key performance measures reported through the corporate performance framework for 2021/22. The report also includes several indicators without targets for this year, that were being monitored to establish a baseline level of performance and monitor trends. Commentary was provided for each indicator explaining what was being measured, explaining the narrative behind each outturn and detailing improvement actions.

·                The performance scorecard, which provided information on four key elements of performance for the Council covering Finance, Customer Service, Performance and Human Resources indicators. These were arranged in four quadrants.

Within the performance report and performance scorecard, outturns that were performing at or better than target are classified as Green, those that were within 5% of the target were Amber and those that were more than 5% of the target were Red. At the end of Quarter 3, 90 indicators had outturns reported with a Red, Amber or Green status. Of these, 62 were Green (69%), 12 were Amber (13%) and 16 were Red (18%).

This was an improved position on Quarter 2 where 53 indicators were reported as Green (63%), 7 were Amber (8%) and 24 were Red (29%).

Cabinet Members then provided comprehensive explanations for the performance marked as red where performance was more than 5% off the target for each of their portfolio’s, these were as follows:

Leader

·                Unemployment Claimant Rate – the indicator measured the unemployment claimant count in Buckinghamshire and the result was 68% of the national rate against a target of 55%, that was a slight improvement on Q1 and Q2.  The report included information on the initiatives underway (both nationally led and locally led) to help move people off the claimant count and into work. There was a shortage of labour at the moment in particular social workers and planners for local government, film industry and the hospitality sector.

·                Strategic Infrastructure projects: % profiled spend achieved – the target was 75% against the current value of 56.35%.  Some of the slippage related to the South East Aylesbury Link Road although Phase 1 was now progressing well with planning permission granted and the detailed design complete.  However, delays to the CPO, SRO and the Public Open Space Inquiry had led to a reduced profile of expenditure for Phase 2, although the team was working hard to progress matters to assist in delivering this phase.

Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment

·                % of waste collected for recycling, reuse, composting or anaerobic digestion from household sources (household collection and Household Recycling Centres) – target of 60% against a current value of 49.85%. As previously reported, some disruption with kerbside collections due to driver shortages and the continued suspension of separate food waste collections meant food was mixed with residual waste in most of the South of the administrative area which impacted on the overall recycling rate.

·                Residual Household Waste per Household (kg) – the current value was 138.35 kgs of non-recyclable household refuse produced per dwelling against a target of 125 kgs.  This was likely attributable to the driver shortages and suspension of separate food waste collections.  Information was provided on ‘waste behaviour change’ campaigns being undertaken to educate people and reduce non-recyclable waste generated. It was noted that landfill was less than 1%.

Cabinet Member for Communities

·                % of total climate change spend across all Community Boards compared to profiled spend – Community Boards had a target to spend 15% of their annual budget on initiatives to tackle climate change. At the end of Q3, £260,043 (44.45%) had been allocated to Community Board environmental projects out of the total budget for these types of projects of £585,000.  It was anticipated that this position would improve by year end as a number of projects were in the pipeline.

·                % of total economic recovery spend across all Community Boards compared to profiled spend – Community Boards had a target to spend 15% of their annual budget on initiatives to aid economic recovery. For Q3, £105,126 (17.97%) had been allocated to Community Board economic recovery projects out of the total budget, for these types of projects of £585,000. Based on projects in the pipeline, this position was expected to improve by year end. Community Boards had been sent a menu of ideas for funding.

Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure

There were no indicators for this portfolio area marked as red where performance was more than 5% off the target. He informed Members that the Discover Bucks Museum would be opening on 2 April 2022.

Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services

·                % of assessments completed in 45 working days – target was 84% – achieving this target had been impacted by a 34% rise in the number of children and families assessed between April-December 2021, compared to the same period last year.   In response to this, capacity within the service had been increased leading to improved performance during Q3. During Q3 (October to December 2021) the percentage of children’s assessments completed within 45 working days had been 74% (1,570 assessments). This is an improvement of seven percentage points (66%) since Q2 (July to September 2021).

·                % of children with Initial Child Protection Conferences completed within 15 working days of the strategy discussion – the target was 85% against a current value of 61% (34% in Q2).  Between April and December 2021, there had been a 59% rise in the number of children subject to an ICPC compared to the same period last year with a particular spike in Q2 (July to September 2021).  Capacity within the service had been increased leading to improved performance during Q3, including 75% completed on time during December 2021.  The service continues to review out of time cases and monitor safety plans and was satisfied that those children were safe.

Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources, Property and Assets

There were no indicators for this portfolio area marked as red where performance was more than 5% off the target. There had been a slippage in capital spend  but this was closely monitored. There had been an improvement in average waiting times for customer services which was now ‘green’ due to hard work by the service area.

Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing

·                % of successful drug treatment completions of those in treatment – performance was reported for Q2 as data was reported in arrears.  Performance was 14.3% against a target of 15.2%, which was benchmarked against the South East of England.  It was anticipated that recruitment would help the service to increase successful completions / performance. 

·                % of births that receive a face-to-face New Birth Visit within 14 days by a health visitor in the quarter – this was a target of 90% with a current value of 69.9% (79% in Q2).  The proportion of visits had decreased due to staff shortages within the Aylesbury and Wycombe teams.  In addition, capacity had been reduced due to responding to an increase in the proportion of the health visiting caseload who are seen on the UPP (Universal Partnership Plus) pathway (safeguarding/vulnerable families) in the period.  This data represented visits from health visitors and does not include the visits from a midwife, which mothers would also receive post birth.  Information was provided on improvement actions being taken to improve future performance.

Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Regulatory Services

·                Number of applicants with/expecting children who have been in non-self contained Bed & Breakfast accommodation for longer than 6 weeks – there was one family affected against a target of 0.  The service had unexpectedly experienced reduced capacity during the quarter, which had resulted in this family not being moved within the indicator timeframe. They had now been allocated accommodation.  Measures and staff were now in place to mitigate this in the future.

·                Number of households living in temporary accommodation for over 12 months – the current value was 86 (78 in Q2) against a target of 32. This was an increase from Q1 and Q2.  Numbers had increased due to a change in how they were recorded and the target may need to be reviewed. In addition, there were a number of people needed one bedroom or three/four bedroom accommodation where demands for this type of accommodation were high.

·                % of homelessness decisions taking over 56 days – the target was 40% but the current value was 50.7% (52% in Q2, 57.7% in Q1).  The focus of the housing service was to try and prevent people from becoming homeless, and due to the current number of cases or approaches to the service, timescales for making homelessness decisions have slipped. This had been challenging and would continue to be, as the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities expected further temporary accommodation to be offered to those at risk of rough sleeping due to the colder weather and the Omicron variant. The work required to get people into safety had an impact on the time it took to make full duty decisions.

Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration

·                % of enforcement appeals allowed – the current value was 28.5% (25% in Q2) and the target 20%. Cabinet Members noted that the results were affected by low numbers of appeals. In the last quarter, 2 out of 7 appeals had been allowed.  The 12 month rolling appeal performance was 19.4% of appeals allowed (3.5 out of 18). New team managers were in place working on the backlog.

Cabinet Member for Transport

·                % of gullies cleaned against the cyclical gully programme – the target was 64% against a current value of 60%.  The last quarter had continued to be a challenge in terms of the difficulties in delivering this programme due to the effect that Covid-19 and HGV driver shortages had on productivity. The additional supply chain commissioned from September had increased output throughout October and November, although during the shorter work month of December, there were a greater number of driver and operator absence issues. Extreme weather had also impacted on the service.

·                % eligible clients who are provided with transport before the required start date, or no later than 15 working days from the date the transport assessment was completed (SEND), or all information was received to provide transport (Mainstream) – this had a target of 95% against a current value of 84% (74% in Q2). This reflected the seasonal pattern of school transport provision and nature of the workload at different times of the year.  Further development work was underway to amend the 15 working days to start from when the transport assessment was completed for Special Educational Needs and Disability clients so that measures were under the Service areas control. Changes in software due in summer 2022 would also provide better information for team workflows which would help improve operational performance.

 RESOLVED –

(1)          That the Council’s performance for the Quarter 3 period 2021-22 be noted.

(2)          That the actions being taken to improve performance, where required, be noted.