Performance

It is important that we monitor, record and report on performance in order to demonstrate that we are achieving our priorities. We are committed to continuously improving performance in key priority areas.

Performance Framework
In April 2008, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) introduced a new performance framework. The aim of the Framework was to reduce and simplify local targets, performance indicators (PI’s), reports and inspections. The Best Value Performance Indicators were replaced by National Indicators. The indicators were streamlined to reflect national priority outcomes for local authorities working alone or in partnership.

The coalition government has announced it is committed to ending top down government and is giving new powers to local authorities to work for and be accountable to their communities.

The National Indicator set has now been replaced by a single comprehensive list of all the data local government will be expected to provide for central government, which will contain only the minimum central government needs. This list will be published and reviewed on an annual basis and local government will not be required to collect or provide anything that does not appear on it. In the future the emphasis will be on local authorities being democratically accountable to local people and they are being encouraged to make their performance data easily accessible to their customers.

Comprehensive Performance Assessment and Comprehensive Area Assessment
In recent years there have been several frameworks for regulating and inspecting local authorities these include Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) and Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA). Following the coalition government's commitment to ending top down government, the latest framework of the Comprehensive Area Assessment has been abolished.  In previous years we have been inspected through the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA), the introduction of the new performance framework in April 2008 meant that from April 2009 the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) replaced Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA). CPA inspections were carried out every 4 years and our last one was carried out in 2004, the report is available to download here. 

The results of the last Comprehensive Area Assessment are available on our CAA page.

Service Reviews and Inspections
Under the Best Value performance framework the Audit Commission inspected individual services and whole organisations. We have also volunteered to have various service reviews undertaken by the Improvement and Development Agency.
To date the following reviews and inspections have been carried out:

• Benefits inspection report 2010
• IDeA Corporate Peer Challenge 2008
• Planning Inspection Report 2008
• Planning Peer Review 2006
• Housing Inspection Report 2006
• Joint Use Leisure Centre Inspection Report 2002
• Economic Development, Tourism and Industrial Estates Inspection Report 2002
• Revenues and Benefits Inspection Report 2002
• Development Control Inspection Report 2001

Performance Reporting
In November 2008 we introduced a new Council performance management framework, which sets out clear guidance on managing performance and a structured timetable. The framework can be downloaded here.

Each quarter we produce a performance monitoring report that details information on our progress against performance indicators, key tasks, financial performance and strategic risks. The latest reports are available below:

Quarter 3 2012 - 13 (October - December)

Quarter 2 2012 - 2013 (July - September)

Quarter 1 2012 - 2013 (April - June)

The following reports relate to our performance 1st April 2011 - 31st March 2012:

Quarter 4 2011 - 2012 (January - March)

Quarter 3 2011 - 2012 (October - December)

Quarter 2 2011 - 2012 (July - September)

Quarter 1 2011 - 2012 (April-June)

Reports relating to other years are available from the Corporate Support Team on 01594 812607.

Corporate Service Standards
Cabinet have agreed a set of Corporate Service Standards that apply across all service areas and set out the level of service that customers can expect when dealing with the Council.

Data Quality
As a Local Authority we have to ensure that our financial and performance data is accurate, reliable and timely. Various stakeholders including service users and local residents will use this information to monitor our performance.

Good quality data is essential to assist in managing services, informing decisions, setting priorities and assigning resources. Inaccurate data may lead to misleading information, flawed decision-making, wasted or misdirected resources, poor services and ill-founded policy setting.

In April 2008 the first ‘Management of Information and Data Quality: A Policy and Strategy’ was developed, this was then reviewed in December 2010.  Here you can downolad the latest version of the Policy and Strategy.  The policy and strategy has been developed to support our data quality standards and provide a clear framework for us to apply in practice.

Further Information
The following links provide further information on our performance and local government requirements.
Audit Commission - Our Performance
Direct.gov
Local Government Improvement and Development

If you have any queries, require further information or information in an alternative format please contact the Corporate Support Team on 01594 812607 or email at corporatesupport@fdean.gov.uk