Agenda item

To present the proposed key performance indicators (KPIs) for the Corporate Plan 2024-27, to be monitored by this Overview & Scrutiny Committee, and to recommend the approval and adoption of the KPI suite from 1 April 2024.

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Governance and Licensing introduced the report and began by thanking the team for their hard work – naming the Corporate Policy Officer and the Head of Corporate Projects, Policy and Performance.

The Corporate Plan 2024-2027 was adopted by Council on 25 January 2024.

Once approved, reporting on the KPIs were to be a regular part of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees workplans.  Mid-year (quarter 2) and end-of-year (quarter 4) reports would be presented to the OSCs.  Quarterly reports were to be presented to Cabinet and the Corporate Management Team (CMT). 

Effective performance management was essential to the success of the Plan. It established how delivery was to be monitored, improvements driven, and open and transparent accountability upheld. 

An effective KPI suite must be able to perform three functions:

• Measure activity and performance.

• Understand experiences and outcomes.

• Use evidence to inform and drive improvement.

Meeting these functions had underpinned the approach to developing the KPI suite.  To do this, two basic foundational principles had been observed:

• The selected metrics must be wholly within the Council’s control, so offering accountability and stimulating continuous improvement.

• The selected metrics must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant & Timely).

The draft KPIs had been developed in close consultation with the relevant Officers for each service.  It was expected that the KPI suite will experience a degree of evolution over the next four years.  This improvement was to be prompted by the needs of decision makers and the scrutiny committees, and further consideration of how to best meet those needs by Officers.

During discussion, Members raised the following points:

·       Some of the targets were not able to be adequately measured in terms of high amounts.  For example, housing adaptations may have limited applications but the target could be that 100% of applications received were concluded.

·       A Member asked that a specific target be set for safeguarding as it was a statutory responsibility and essential for protecting communities.

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Governance and Licensing clarified that Members of the Committee were able to set the KPIs as they decided to be appropriate and had the facility to change any targets set.

The Head of Public Protection clarified that the KPI for adaptations related to privately-owned homes.  100 adaptations as a target was deemed reasonable by Officers and the Team would be happy to consider a trial period working to that target.

Head of Corporate Projects, Policy and Performance informed Members that the KPI for Safeguarding came under the remit of Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  It was acknowledged that safeguarding was about people and communities and the Officer informed the Committee that the Safeguarding targets could, with the agreement of the Housing Committee Chairman, be moved to within the remit of the Rural and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  .

It was proposed, seconded, and AGREED that the Rural and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

1. Approved the key performance indicators it wished to review associated with the actions in the Corporate Plan 2024-27.

2. Noted that key performance indicators will be monitored throughout the year as determined by the Committee in agreeing its work programme.

3. Noted that the KPI suite will be reviewed and if necessary revised as part of the annual review process with the safeguarding KPI to be brought under the remit of the Rural and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee.