REPORT TO:
REPORT NO:
DATE:
LEAD MEMBER:
LEAD OFFICER:
CONTACT OFFICER:
SUBJECT:
WARD: / Executive Board
CFPO/37/08
3 June 2008
Councillor R J Dutton, OBE (Communities and Performance)
Chief Finance & Performance Officer
Rachel Spurr (Tel: 292259)
Performance Monitoring Arrangements 2008/9
N/A
- PURPOSE OF THE REPORT
To provide members with an outline of the Performance Monitoring arrangements for 2008/9. This includes the reporting process and subsequent timescales for the 2008/9 financial year.
2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2.1Each year arrangements are put in place to regularly monitor the performance of the Council in relation to service delivery and improvement. This is both good practice and ensures we comply with requirements under the Local Government act 1999 and WAG circular 28/2005 on Wales programme for Improvement. This report provides information on the performance monitoring arrangements for 2008/9. The arrangements are to remain relatively consistent in keeping with the 2007/8 process,however during the course of the year there will be a switch in terms of reporting methods. This is due to the implementation of a new performance management software system (Ffynnon) that has been supplied by the Welsh Assembly Government, and is currently being rolled out across the authority. It is expected that this new system will replace the existing PIMS software system, although for the first quarter of the year both systems will be used simultaneously to allow for comparative analysis.
2.2To provide consistency in relation to 2007/8 arrangements, it is once again proposed that the performance monitoring reports will contain a general performance overview, with more detailed performance indicator information around the Corporate Priorities. Exception reporting on other performance indicators showing cause for concern will complete the content of the reports, so that members get a consistent perspective of performance across the authority. The information to be reported on is described in paragraph 4.4.
2.3Each quarter a set process is followed for the collection, collation, reporting and challenge of performance information. The 2007/8 process ensured that performance information was provided and challenged in a timely, reliable and accurate manner and the aim is therefore to continue this process for 2008/9. Appendix 1 details this process and provides a draft reporting timetable for the year ahead.
3.RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1To review and endorse the information to be reported quarterly to members as that described in paragraph 4.4.
3.2To approve the performance monitoring process and draft timetable for 2008/9 as described in appendix 1
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Council is demonstrating good practice by having an agreed process to work to for monitoring performance and improvement in Service delivery for 2008/9 and continues to comply with statutory requirements of the Local Government Act 1999.
M S Owen
Chief Finance Performance Officer
4. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Background
4.1Each year arrangements are put in place to regularly monitor the performance of the Council in relation to service delivery and improvement. This is both good practice and ensures we comply with requirements under the Local Government Act 1999 and WAG circular 28/2005 on Wales programme for Improvement.
4.2This report provides information on the performance monitoring arrangements for 2008/9. Information provided to members and the Strategic Management Team will remain the same as per 2007/8 arrangements. This approach ensures consistency across the periods, and provides a degree of familiarity to both members and departments.
4.3The key change in 2008 will be the switching of Performance Management software and reporting formats, due to the introduction of Ffynnon (A bespoke performance management software system provided by the Welsh Assembly Government to all Welsh Authorities). It is expected that the Ffynnon system will replace the existing PIMS software system during the course of the year, although Quarter 1 and potentially quarter 2 will act as a transition period whereby both systems will run simultaneously. This provides a necessary opportunity to gauge and compare the resulting impact and benefits of using the Ffynnon system.
Information to be reported
4.4Information reported on a quarterly basis will again be based upon the performance of departments against the Councils Corporate Priorities and Core Corporate Business Areas. The reports (CE/16/07) and (CFPO/31/08) agreed by Executive Board in December 2007 and April 2008,outlined the Seven Corporate Priorities and Ten Core Corporate Business Areas for 2008/9 Service Delivery. Within Departmental Service plans, activities, measures and actions are linked to one of the Corporate Priorities or Core Corporate Business Outcomes thus allowing the overall performance of the authority to be monitored at outcome level. Below is a summary of the information that will be made availablefor members on a Quarterly basis:
- Progress on outcomes – A summary of progress on performance in relation to delivery of the outcomes for the Corporate Priorities, Core Corporate Business areas and key service Priorities.
- Corporate Priority Performance Indicators – Detailed information on the key performance indicators supporting the delivery of the Corporate Priority outcomes.
- Exception Report on other performance indicators – Detailed information on any other performance indicators that are giving cause for concern that quarter.
Specific arrangements
4.5Each quarter a set process is followed for the collection, collation, reporting and challenge of performance information. This process usually takes about six weeks from the quarter end, except in quarter 1 due to August recess. This process is designed to ensure that performance is continually challenged and that new actions are identified when necessary to keep performance on track. The specific details can be found in the draft monitoring timetable at appendix 1. Members should also be aware that once Ffynnon is implemented and in full use, there is likely to be a change in the format of the performance information which is currently supplied. We will work with both Executive board and the Task and Finish Group to ensure a smooth transition in formats is achieved.
4.6In summary the process is that departments have about three weeks after the end of each quarter to ensure that the appropriate performance management software system contains the specific quarterly output data. Following this the Strategic Assessment and Political challenge will commence, when lead members and Strategic Directors meet and challenge the relevant Chief Officer on the performance of his/her department. Alongside this the performance is scrutinised by the Finance and Performance Task and Finish Group and issues of concern are referred to relevant Scrutiny committees for further challenge. After this initial challenge SMT and Executive Board reports are prepared. Quarter 1 arrangements will however be more complex due to the testing of the new Ffynnon system and relative comparative analysis between Ffynnon and PIMS.
5CONSULTATION
5.1Ongoing consultation has taken place each quarter during the last twelve months, and the monitoring process has continued to be refined to meet the needs of officers and members. An improvement study has been carried out by the Chief Executive’s Support Officer in relation to the Performance Management process, which included interviews with a number of members and officers. The results of this have also been used to further refine the monitoring process.
6SCRUTINY COMMITTEE COMMENTS
6.1 Feedback from the Finance and Performance scrutiny committee Task and Finish Group each quarter has been used to further refine the process on an ongoing basis.
7. IMPLICATIONS
7.1 Policy Framework – The information to be monitored and monitoring results are an integral part of the Council’s requirements under the Wales programme for Improvement.
7.2 Budget – This report and the recommendations do not require any budgetary decisions.
7.3 Legal – There are no legal implication.
7.4 Staffing – There are no staffing implications.
7.5 Equality – There are no equality implications.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
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Appendix I
Performance Monitoring Timetable 2008/09
Q1 / Q2 / Q3 / Q4 / ResponsibilityDepartmental performance contacts advised of reporting requirements / 20/6/08 / 19/9/08 / 19/12/08 / 20/3/09 / Performance and Improvement Manager
Quarter End / 30/6/08 / 30/9/08 / 31/12/08 / 31/3/09
PRELIMINARY PERFORMANCE REVIEW:
Departments Update PIMS and Chief Officers sign off department performance [Deadline] / 18/7/08 / 17/10/08 / 23/1/09 / 17/4/09 / Chief Officers
Strategic Assessment and Political Challenge
Chief Officers brief Lead Members on Departmental Performance and Risk / 21/7/08- 25/7/08 / 20/10/08 -24/10/08 / 26/1/09 - 30/1/09 / 20/4/09 - 24/4/09 / Chief Officers
Strategic Challenge of Chief Officers by Chief Executive or Strategic Director
Strategic Assessment of progress against Corporate Priority and Core Corporate Business Outcomes / 21/7/08- 25/7/08 / 20/10/08 -24/10/08 / 26/1/09 - 30/1/09 / 20/4/09 - 24/4/09 / Strategic Director
Draft Executive Board reports (For SMT) prepared and issued by Performance Improvement Unit / 4/8/08 / 27/10/08 / Estimate 3/2/09? / Estimate27/4/09? / Performance and Improvement Manager
SMT meet to discuss and challenge overall performance / 13/8/08 / 5/11/08 / Estimate 11/2? / Estimate 6/5/09 / SMT
Scrutiny Challenge
Despatch Task and Finish Summary Report / Estimated 24/7/08 / Estimate 25/10/08 / Estimate
28/01/09 / Estimate 23/04/09 / Performance and Improvement Manager
Task & Finish Group of Finance and Performance Scrutiny meet to ensure that performance issues are referred to the appropriate scrutiny committee/s / W/C
28/7/08 / W/C 27/10/08 / W/C 02/02/09 / W/C 27/04/09 / Scrutiny Manager
Finance and Performance Scrutiny Committee / Proposed 25/09/08 / Proposed 27/11/08 / Proposed 26/3/09 / Estimate 14/5/09
Leader and Chief Executive discuss further issues arising from Strategic assessment and political challenge draft exec board report, with Strategic Directors and Chief officers as necessary / 28/7/08 – 1/8/08 / 27/10/08-31/10/08 / 02/02/09- 07/02/09 / 27/04/09 – 1/5/09 / Leader/ Chief Executive
REPORTING OF FINALISED INFORMATION:
Performance Improvement Unit prepare report for Executive Board [Despatch] / 4/8/08 / 27/10/08 / 3/2/09 / 27/4/08 / Performance and Improvement Manager
Executive Board / Proposed 2/9/08 / Proposed 25/11/08 / Proposed 24/2/09 / Proposed12/5/08
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