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Contents
Joint Finance and Performance Reporting 4
How the Information is Reported 5
BRAG Status Key 5
Section 1 – Key Messages and Overview 6
1.1 Council Key Messages and Overview 6
1.2 Revenue Expenditure 2015/16 9
1.3 Projected Closing Council Fund Reserve 2015/16 10
1.4 Capital Expenditure 2015/16 10
1.5 Financial Information Annual Overview 10
1.6 Transforming Blaenau Gwent Programme Implementation 11
1.7 Strategic Financial Efficiency Projects 11
1.8 Strategic Improvement Programmes 12
1.9 Strategic Policy Initiatives 13
1.10 Overall Annual Position 13
1.11 Corporate Improvement Plan – Quarterly Update 14
1.12 The Improvement Objectives 17
1.13 WAO Proposals for Improvement 19
1.14 Quarterly Corporate Performance Indicators 20
1.15 National Data Performance 20
1.16 The Corporate Risk Register 21
1.17 The Annual Risk Registers Review 22
Section 2 – Environment and Regeneration Directorate 23
2.1 Key Messages and Overview 23
2.2 Revenue Expenditure 25
2.3 Capital Expenditure 25
2.4 Strategic Efficiency Projects 26
2.5 Quarterly Directorate Business Plans 27
2.6 WAO Proposals for Improvement 28
Section 3 – Resources Directorate 29
3.1 Key Messages and Overview 29
3.2 Revenue Expenditure 30
3.3 Strategic Efficiency Projects 31
3.4 Quarterly Directorate Business Plans 32
3.5 WAO Proposals for Improvement 34
3.6 Corporate Risk Register 35
Section 4 – Social Services Directorate 38
4.1 Key Messages and Overview 38
4.2 Revenue Expenditure 39
4.3 Capital Expenditure 39
4.4 Strategic Efficiency Projects 40
4.5 Monthly Directorate Performance Indicators 41
4.6 CSSIW Quarterly Update 42
4.7 Quarterly Directorate Business Plans 43
4.8 WAO Proposals for Improvement 45
4.9 Corporate Risk Register 46
Section 5 – Corporate Services and Strategy Directorate 48
5.1 Key Messages and Overview 48
5.2 Revenue Expenditure 49
5.3 Capital Expenditure 49
5.4 Strategic Efficiency Projects 50
5.5 Quarterly Directorate Business Plans 51
5.6 WAO Proposals for Improvement 52
Section 6 – Education Directorate 55
6.1 Key Messages and Overview 55
6.2 Revenue Expenditure 56
6.3 Capital Expenditure 56
6.4 Strategic Efficiency Projects 57
6.5 Quarterly Directorate Business Plans 58
6.7 Corporate Risk Register 59
Joint Finance and Performance Reporting
We have developed this report, drawing together and supplementing, the existing performance and financial monitoring mechanisms within the council. The report will be presented to CMT and Executive on a quarterly basis and the Corporate Overview Scrutiny Committee as part of its six weekly cycles.
Because of the differences in the data capture arrangements the report will contain a core set of quarterly data, which will be supplemented with additional information on an annual basis.
Quarterly
The report will include the following core information:
· Key messages
· Financial Resources Information
· Transforming Blaenau Gwent
o Strategic Efficiency Financial Projects
· Performance Information
o WAO Proposals for Improvement
o Improvement Objectives
· Corporate Risk Register
· Transforming Blaenau Gwent
o Strategic Improvement Programmes
o Strategic Policy Initiatives
· Performance Information
o Directorate Business Plan – Quarterly Priority Monitoring
o Corporate Improvement Plan
o Corporate Basket of Indicators (Quarterly Monitoring)
Annually
In addition to the quarterly information, the report will also include the following on an Annual basis:
· Financial Information Annual Overview
· Transforming Blaenau Gwent
o Overall Annual Position
· Performance Information
o National Data performance
o Overall Corporate Improvement Plan performance (linked to the CIP Stage 2)
o Local and National data linked to the Improvement Objectives and CIP
o Overall reporting against the Outcome Agreements
· Annual Risk Registers Review
How the Information is Reported
BRAG Status Key
Status / DefinitionBlue / The project has been completed; all performance factors set by the project board have been achieved (time, quality, financial aspects).
Green / The project is performing to plan; all performance factors are within the acceptable variance levels set by the project board.
Amber / Issues have been identified with the project that will/may negatively impact on performance; the project manager and delivery team are able to resolve the problem or make corrective decisions without assistance; project is at risk of failing on one or more of the performance factors set by the project board.
Red / Significant issues identified with the project that requires corrective action in order to meet business objectives; the project manager requires additional assistance to handle the issues; project is failing on one or more of the performance factors set by the project board.
Section 1 – Key Messages and Overview
1.1 Council Key Messages and Overview
A) WHAT’S GONE WELL
The latest Wales Audit Office report has recognised that the Council has made progress and improvements in several key areas. In the Annual Improvement report, the Auditor General concluded that “as long as current momentum is maintained, the Council has the potential to comply with the requirements of the Local Government Measure during 2015-16”. Their language may not sound that encouraging, but it is in fact positive, much better than what the Council has had in the past and much better than for many other Councils.
National Strategic Indicators and Public Accountability Measures 2014/15 released by the Welsh Government shows that the overall performance of public services in Wales is being maintained despite the significant cuts in funding that local government has faced over the past few years. In Blaenau Gwent we are pleased that performance has been largely maintained.
We started our 1st Phase of Let’s Talk Community engagement programme in July when events were held in four localities, supported by on-line and paper questionnaires. The events provided information on the savings the Council will need to make for the coming financial year, where the Council currently spends its resources and where we have taken forward opportunities for alternative methods of service delivery over recent years to maintain services. The next phase will consider details on proposals to meet the savings requirements, although the timing will be put back until early in the new year due to the UK governments spending review.
We saw continued improvement in the proportion of students achieving 5 GCSEs grade A* to C, including English and Mathematics, which this year was 48% - a rise of 6% from 2014. Although this remains below the Welsh average, it does represents an improvement overall and shows we are making progress in our continued drive to improve educational standards and outcomes.
The Education Recovery Board approved the plans to establish a 3-16 Learning Community in Abertillery. Following a Statutory Notice period, the Board considered any objections and the Council’s response to those objections, and determined to approve the proposal. The new 3-16 Abertillery Learning Community will be in place for September 2016. The decision was also endorsed by the Council’s Executive Committee when it met on Wednesday, 15th July.
The Learning Community will be created using existing school sites at Abertillery Comprehensive, Abertillery Primary, Roseheyworth Primary, Bryngwyn Primary and Queen Street Primary. Pupils from Queen Street and Bryngwyn will move to a new community primary school building on the former Six Bells Colliery site by September 2017. A 3-16 Learning Community provides fantastic opportunities to share skills and good practice, as well as bringing improvements through shared governance and resources. A temporary governing body is being appointed and we anticipate recruitment of an Executive Head teacher in the autumn.
A new delivery model for Additional Learning Needs has been approved by the Education Recovery Board and endorsed by the Council’s Executive Committee. It has been developed in close collaboration with Head teachers, to ensure that it is fit for purpose and fully meets the needs of the pupils it will serve.
The aim of the new delivery model is to build high quality provision for pupils with ALN in our schools and education services, and to ensure that an appropriate range of provision is available for the variety of pupil needs across the county borough.
The First Minster of Wales, Carwyn Jones, met with pupils at Ebbw Fawr Learning Community in July, on the former steelworks site in Ebbw Vale, as part of an official opening event.
The Ebbw Vale Enterprise Zone (EVEZ) Board recently endorsed the further development of a number of projects/initiatives to address the issue of skills shortages within Blaenau Gwent. The first initiative is the Shared Apprenticeship Programme (SAP), which is initially a four-year project, aimed at addressing the skills needs of existing employers in the area. In order to proceed with the delivery phase of the project, The Council has established a company called Aspire (Blaenau Gwent) Ltd, in partnership with Coleg-Y-Cymoedd and Welsh Government. Aspire (Blaenau Gwent) Ltd will receive grant support (subject to approval from Welsh Government) to fund the Shared Apprenticeship Programme.
The Transforming Blaenau Gwent Programme 2013-17 introduced a radical new approach to the way we deliver services for the community. The programme ensures that all significant projects and work streams are co-ordinated and monitored in one plan.
As the Council faced a budget deficit of £9.925 million for the financial year 2014-15 a number of projects (called Financial Efficiency Projects or FEPs) were implemented to meet the savings target. Substantial savings targets across Directorates were put in place which resulted in 88 Financial Efficiency Projects.
The overall financial savings target was almost fully achieved with a shortfall of only £2,400 reported at the end of March 2014. This is an exceptional performance and the project leads and their teams should take great credit for this achievement. Many of the projects have meant significant changes to services within very challenging timescales.
As part of the programme workplace transformation has been progressing with new offices being refurbished and staff moving into their new locations.
The Social Services Annual Report 2014/15 was published; it is a comprehensive self-evaluation of the work of the Directorate and looks at how well children and adult services are being delivered in Blaenau Gwent. It celebrates the main achievements of the year; how departments have performed and the challenges faced. Some highlights to demonstrate the good work include:
· becoming the lead authority for the South East Wales Adoption Service
· the establishment of two new health and social care hubs which joined together social workers
· district nurses and the community resources teams to work together more effectively; a new scheme to prevent long stays in hospital
· Community Connectors scheme and working with families through the Flying Start programme
The statistical release for the period 2014-15, shows that the Blaenau Gwent Flying Start programme is achieving tremendous outcomes and is one of the leading Authorities in Wales in many categories.
The Council commissioned an external research agency to carry out a staff survey during July and August 2014. A staff survey working group has been meeting since December 2014 to develop communications to staff and an action plan to respond to the survey findings. One of the key recommendations of the working group was to organise annual ‘One Council’ Staff Events to share feedback from the staff survey and to improve communications between staff, senior managers and Elected Members. The events started in September and they gave an opportunity for staff to learn about key Council issues and to meet with senior managers and elected members.
B) WHAT HAS NOT GONE SO WELL / WHERE DO WE NEED TO IMPROVE AND DEVELOP?
The Wales Audit Office report also highlighted that we need to continue the momentum, building on our stronger position, to embed the frameworks and improvements made to date. But nothing stands still and as part of our one Council „Transforming Blaenau Gwent‟ programme we will have to continue to develop new and different ways of working to respond to the continuing financial and service challenges.
The pace of change and the necessity of transforming the way the Council operates is unprecedented, and there are clear challenges in ensuring the overarching rational and basis of those changes are communicated effectively to all stakeholders. The Council has, and will need to, take very difficult decisions and will continually revise and adapt our communication channels to ensure they are effective.
The National Strategic Indicators and Public Accountability Measures 2014/15 referred to above indicated some areas where performance has declined we are studying the data in more detail to see what actions may be required..
C) FUTURE CHALLENGES
Clearly the financial challenges facing the Council are significant and due to the delay in the UK spending review and the knock on effect for the Welsh Government it means we will not be informed of the scale of the cuts until much later than normal. We have a track record recently of ensuring our financial sustainability and we will build on this approach to respond to whatever the final settlement is.
1.2 Revenue Expenditure 2015/16
Directorate / Revised Budget£’000 / Forecast Expend.
2015/16
£’000 / Variance
Sept 2015
£’000 / Comments
Resources / 10,133 / 9,880 / 253 / The favourable variance relates to employee related savings within the departmental budget (£160,000) including flexible retirement savings, reduced working hours, maternity leave and posts being funded from grant. In addition there is a surplus on the Council Tax Collection budget.
Corporate Services & Strategy / 3,852 / 3,929 / (77) / The forecast adverse variance arises mainly from a £223,043 adverse variance within the Business Support Service financial efficiency project (due to a delay in the commencement of service). This is partly offset by a favourable variance in the Corporate Services and Strategy departmental budget of £115,217 due to underspends on employees, supplies and services and transport
Social Services / 37,803 / 37,417 / 386 / Adult Services is currently forecasting a favourable variance of £811,000. This is mainly due to additional continuing health care income, the maximisation of the Intermediate Care Fund grant funding and a reduction in placements and packages of care.
Children’s Services are forecasting and adverse variance is £426,000. This is mainly attributed to an increase in the number of looked after children within both children’s homes and fostering placements (£709,000). This is being offset by underspends in employee related costs (due to vacant posts £248,000).
Education / 53,173 / 53,067 / 106 / The overall position arises mainly from an underspend on both the Learners within Independent Schools budget and the Inter- Authority Recoupment budget.
Environment / 30,700 / 31,141 / (441) / The adverse variance is the result of several cost pressures, mainly in relation to Home to School and Home to College Transport and the Training Centre as a result of the cessation of the ACT Contract.
Implementation Reserve / (172) / 172
Total / 135,661 / 135,262 / 399
1.3 Projected Closing Council Fund Reserve 2015/16
Based on the current financial forecast, general reserves would increase by £0.40m. The forecast has assumed the application of £1.2m of specific reserves to address “one-off” in-year planned expenditure.