CLACKMANNANSHIRE COUNCIL
Report to Performance and Audit Committee of 21st September 2006
Subject: Statutory Performance Indicators 2005/06
Prepared by: Judith Richardson, Information Officer
1.0SUMMARY
1.1.The Statutory Performance Indicators (SPIs) are submitted to Audit Scotland by each Scottish council on an annual basis and aim to cover a wide range of council services and performance measures. The information contained in this year’s submission reports on performance from the 1st of April 2005 to the 31st of March 2006. The data is subject to review by internal and external auditors and was submitted to Audit Scotland by the respective due dates.
1.2.Clackmannanshire Council has shown strong performance across the range of SPIs in recent years and, in 2004/05, achieved rankings of first place in Scotland in ten indicators and top quartile rankings in twenty-eight indicators (out of a total of seventy-nine). Positive performance continues into 2005/06. A number of indicators continue to illustrate consistently positive performance, with over 12% of SPIs remaining at the highest possible value. While performance has declined in a few areas, overall, the number of areas where performance has improved has increased on last year.
1.3.Results for all councils will be published by Audit Scotland later in the year at which time a further report will be brought to the Performance & Audit Committee. The purpose of this report is to indicate Clackmannanshire’s performance for 2005/06 in relation to previous years. The report highlights:
- Indicators where comparison with previous years is not possible;
- Indicators judged to be unreliable by auditors;
- Improving , consistent and declining areas of performance.
1.4.Clackmannanshire Council has a statutory duty to make SPI results for 2005/06 publicly available by 30 September 2006. They will be made available through ClacksWeb by the due date.
2.0RECOMMENDATIONS
2.1.It is recommended that the Committee note the contents of this report.
3.0BACKGROUND
All graphs referred to in this report can be found in Appendix A.
3.1.Indicators not Comparable with Previous Years
Indicators where comparison with previous years is not possible include the Adult Social Work indicator introduced for the first time in 2005/06. For nine indicators (in Adult Social Work, Benefits Administration, Education and Children’s Services, Housing, Protective Services and Waste Management) all or some aspects have been changed or simplified from previous years. These also are not comparable with previous years. Two indicators (in Adult Social Work and Housing) report on services not provided by Clackmannanshire Council and, hence, data is not submitted for these.
3.2.Unreliable Data
Internal auditors investigated three indicators and found that data recorded for the percentage of Housing repairs completed within target time in the category ‘Lesser Emergencies’ was unreliable. External auditors also judged results for two other indicators to be unreliable: attendance at indoor sports facilities (Cultural and Community Services) and the percentage of street lighting columns over thirty years old (Roads and Lighting), the latter being the only data judged to be unreliable in 2004/05. Projects are planned for this year to rectify all three unreliable indicators, details of which are available on request.
3.3.Improving Performance
An improvement can be seen since 2002/03 in Criminal Justice in terms of the percentage of new probationers seen by a supervising officer within one week, shown in Graph 3. A similar improvement can be seen in Graph 5, in the average time to process changes in circumstances in Benefits Administration.
Improvements are evident in the occupancy levels of both primary and secondary schools, with increases in the 81% to 100% occupancy category for both. Graph 7 shows that the academic achievement of looked after children improved significantly, with double the number of children achieving at least one SCQF level 3 award in any subject.
Several Corporate Management results improved, including the sickness absence levels of Craft employees and Teachers (shown in Graph 8) and the number of women in the top 2% of earners among Council employees (shown in Graph 9). The cost of council tax collection is shown in Graph 10 to have reduced further on last year’s achievement and Graph 11 indicates that the percentage of council tax collected in the year increased, as did the percentage of non-domestic rates collected in the year.
In Cultural and Community Services, the number of users of lifelong learning centres has continued on a positive trend since 2002/03 and there was a significant increase in the number of times terminals were accessed, shown in Graph 14. These increases are believed to be a result of an initiative that ran more IT classes this year as well as a greater number of foreign workers using learning centre facilities.
A significant increase in the resolution of noise complaints settled on first contact with the complainant, dealt with on the day of receipt of the complaint can be seen in Graph 18. Graph 19 shows a significant increase in the percentage of ‘high risk’ category trading standards inspections carried out within target time due both to prioritisation and joint working with Stirling Council which increased achievement in the second half of the year.
Results from several Roads and Lighting indicators have improved on previous years. Graph 20 illustrates that the percentage of the road network which should be considered for maintenance treatment has continued to decrease. Graph 21 shows an increase in the percentage of street lighting repairs which were carried out within the target timescale of seven days.
A reduction in refuse collection complaints can be seen in Graph 22. 2004/05 saw the introduction of new bin and collection systems, prompting high levels of complaints. The fact that the levels of complaints have reduced since then suggests that new systems are effective and that the greatest issue of concern to residents was adjustment to new collection dates and frequencies.
3.4.Consistent Performance
Performance in the Adult Social Work indicator relating to privacy in residential accommodation was consistently positive, maintaining 100% provision of private, voluntary and Council accommodation with single rooms, for people aged above 65 years. This is illustrated in Graph 1. Privacy in residential accommodation for looked after children retained 100% provision of single rooms in all three sectors. Graph 2 shows that consistently high results for submission of social enquiry reports by the due date were achieved.
Development Services results show that, for the ninth consecutive year, 100% of Clackmannanshire’s population was covered by a Local Plan that had been adopted or finalised within five years of the reporting period. Housing shows consistency of results in terms of the percentage of rent lost due to voids (empty houses), shown in Graph 16. Graph 18 illustrates that consistent results were achieved in the percentage of noise complaints, where the council recognised its responsibility to take further action, which were resolved within fourteen days of receipt of the complaint. Roads and Lighting continue to maintain a 100% achievement level of completion of traffic light repairs within forty-eight hours.
3.5.Declining Performance
Graph 4 shows that the gross administration cost per benefit case has increased significantly this year. This is due to the introduction of enhanced counter-fraud measures that should realise significant benefits over time, with an increase from 2 to 4 full time counter-fraud staff. The average time to process new benefit claims indicates a minor negative trend on last year, shown in Graph 5. This was also the case for new claims, which was due to recently introduced legislation that abolished benefit periods.
Graph 6 illustrates that in Education and Children’s Services, proportionately fewer looked after children saw a supervising officer within 15 days, when compared with 2004/05. In April 2005 there were 16 full time Child Care Social Workers in post, but by December 2005 there were just over 6 full time Child Care Social Workers. However by March 2006 the figure had risen to 13 full time Child Care Social Workers, and therefore previous performance levels are expected to recover in 2006/07. There was also a change in the management structure at the ALLOA Centre in 2005/06, with the appointment of a new Service Manager.
Leisure facilities recorded a fall in attendances over the year, with Graph 12 illustrating a decrease in attendances at swimming pools. This is a continuation of a decline in attendances over of the past 2 years, with a return to 2001/02 levels in 2005/06. Initiatives to reverse this trend include the promotion of free swimming lessons for children. Cultural and Community Services also saw a slight decline in performance relating to additions to library stock and overall stock levels. This is illustrated in Graph 13 and is resultant of a greater focus on children’s and teenage stock over the past year.
In Development Services, Graph 15 indicates that the volume of applications received increased, as did the volume of applications processed within target time. This impacted in terms of a slight decline in the percentage of planning applications processed within two months.
Graphs 17 and 19 show that in Protective Services, a decline in performance was recorded in certain categories of food hygiene and trading standards inspections. The decline in both areas was due to low staffing levels and prioritisation. In the case of Trading Standards, performance has recovered since the second half of the year when joint working with Stirling Council commenced.
4.0CONCLUSIONS
4.1.Twenty-three indicators were new, changed or related to services not provided by Clackmannanshire Council.
4.2.Three indicators were judged to be unreliable by auditors.
4.3.29.4% of all individual measures gathered showed a slight improvement in performance from last year, with an additional 12.4% showing significant improvement in performance.
4.4.11% of all individual measures illustrate consistent positive results, with an additional 12.4% of measures remaining at the highest value achievable for that measure.
4.5.24.0% of all individual measures gathered showed a slight decline in performance from last year, and an additional 10.9% of measures showing a significant decline in performance.
4.6.Overall, Clackmannanshire Council has continued to perform strongly across the range of SPIs, and demonstrates improvement in a number of key areas.
4.7.Full analysis of performance for all indicators has been conducted where possible and information gathered on significant variance from previous years. This is available on request, as are details of auditor’s investigations.
5.0IMPLICATIONS FOR THE COUNCIL
5.1.Financial implications:None
5.2.Staff implications:None
5.3.Strategic aims:None
Create strong, active, safe and caring communities / Achieve local economic prosperity and stability /
Make the most of Clackmannanshire's unique built and natural environment /
Develop a culture of personal achievement where everyone isvalued /
Improve the health of the people of Clackmannanshire /
Represent and promote the interests of all of the people of Clackmannanshire /
Ensure that the people of Clackmannanshire receive the highest quality services for the public pound /
Director of Corporate DevelopmentHead of BITS
SPI P&A Report V1.6Page 1 of 5