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ITEM NO.
REPORT OF THE LEADER
TO THE CABINET
ON TUESDAY 13th June, 2006
TITLE : QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW- Analysis of the Council’s Best Value, Local and CPA
Performance Indicators contained within the 2005/06 Best Value Performance Plan based on data for the 4th
quarter of 2005/06.
RECOMMENDATIONS :
(1) That consideration be given to the Council’s performance against the Best Value, Local and CPA
Performance Indicators based on data for the 4th quarter of 2005/06; and that detailed consideration of
performance take place at the individual meetings to be held between the Chief Executive, Leader and
Deputy Leader and the respective Director and Lead Member.
(2) That the action to be taken to improve service performance arising from the 3rd quarter, 2005/06 round of
QPE meetings be noted.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY :
This report (a) provides a brief analysis of the Council’s performance in respect of the Best Value, Local and CPA
Performance Indicators contained in the 2005/06 Best Value Performance Plan as at the 4th quarter of 2005/06
and (b) refers to the key issues raised in the 3rd quarter 2005/06 round of Quarterly Performance Evaluation
(QPE) meetings held with each Director and Lead Member.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS :
(Available for public inspection) Directorate Comparator Action Plans – 4th Quarter,
2005/06
QPE Agenda and Minutes – 3rd quarter, 2004/05
ASSESSMENT OF RISK: Not applicable
SOURCE OF FUNDING: Any additional funding to bring about performance improvements is being met from
Directorate budgets.
COMMENTS OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER AND SUPPORT SERVICES (or his
representative):
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1. LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
Provided by : None
2. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Provided by : None
PROPERTY (if applicable): Not applicable
HUMAN RESOURCES (if applicable): Not applicable
CONTACT OFFICER : Neil Watts 0161 793 3446
WARD(S) TO WHICH REPORT RELATE(S): All wards
KEY COUNCIL POLICIES: Best Value and Performance Management
INTRODUCTION OF ‘NEW’ DIRECTORATES
1. With the introduction of the ‘new’ Children’s Services and Community, Health and Social Care Directorates as from
1st September, 2005, this quarterly report has now been amended to take into account the new responsibilities of the
two Directorates.
PIs relating to children, which were previously within the former Community and Social Services Directorate are now
assigned to the Children’s Services Directorate and Leisure/Culture PIs, which were previously within the former
Education and Leisure Directorate are now assigned to the Community, Health and Social Care Directorate.
However, it should be noted that responsibility for the Children’s and Leisure/Culture PIs is being retained within the
‘former’ directorates for 2005/06, with PI production/reporting being undertaken by the ‘new’ directorates with effect
from 2006/07.
(A) ANALYSIS OF PERFORMANCE
2. This report provides members with an overview of the Council’s performance based on data for the 4th quarter
of 2005/06 (January to March, 2006) compared with the performance in the 4th quarter of 2004/05 (January to
March, 2005).
3. Within the 2005/06 Best Value set of PIs specified by the Government, there are151 individual indicators.
(This includes indicators which are referred to by the Government as one indicator but which are in fact, divided
into a number of sub-PIs such as those relating to Road Traffic Accidents). The Council also set itself 42 local
PIs to be monitored for 2005/06.
4. Of those 193 LPIs / BVPIs, there are 140 for which performance can be presented at this stage for the
4th quarter of 2005/06.
SUMMARY OF PERFORMANCE
5. The following table provides a brief summary of performance in the 4th quarter of 2005/06 compared with
performance in the 4th quarter, 2004/05.
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Quarter
4th Quarter
2005/06
4th Quarter
2004/05
No. of PI’s
Improving
No. of PIs for
which
performance
has fallen
No. of
PIs static
No. of PIs
on Target
No. of PIs
below
target
No. of PIs
in the
Upper 2
quartiles
No. of PIs
in the lower
2 quartiles
95
(75.39%)
27
(21.42%)
4
(3.17%)
84
(60.43%)
55
(39.56%)
44
(63.78%)
25
(36.23%)
79
(62.69%)
38
(30.15%)
9
(7.14%)
62
(47.32%)
69
(52.67%)
35
(42.68%)
47
(57.31%)
6. Performance Compared with Previous Quarter
The greater proportion of PIs are improving (75.39%) and the overall direction of travel appears favourable
when compared with the 4th quarter of 2004/05, when (62.69%) of PIs were improving.
7. Performance Against Targets
(60.43%) of the PIs are on target in the 4th quarter, 2005/06, compared with (47.32%) of PIs on target in the
4th quarter, 2004/05.
8. Performance Against Quartiles
The direction of travel in respect of performance against the quartiles is favourable in that (63.78%) of the
PIs for the 4th quarter 2005/06 are in the upper 2 quartiles compared with (42.68%) in the 4th quarter
2004/05. The quartile comparison is made with the 2004/05 Audit Commission data.
9. PIs For Which Performance has fallen
There are 27 (21.42%) Pls for which performance has fallen from Quarter 4, 2004/05 to Quarter 4, 2005/06.
It is important however, to establish the severity of the fall in performance of these PIs. Although a fall in
performance may have occurred, this is not necessarily a cause for concern as many of the PIs have shown
only a minor ‘dip’ in performance with the causes of this being clear or, performance may still be in the upper
quartiles. Table 1 does however provide details of the key service areas where it is acknowledged that
performance may need to be addressed. Comments from Directors are included in the table against the
respective PIs.
(B) KEY ISSUES ARISING FROM QPE MEETINGS
10. Table 2 attached provides details of the key issues arising from the QPE meetings held for the 3rd quarter,
2005/06 and of the action to be taken by Directors to improve performance.
11. Table 2 is submitted for information. Directors are reporting back to their respective Quarter 4 QPE meeting
in respect of the action points listed in Table 2.
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(C) PERFORMANCE AGAINST CPA DATA
12. Table 3 attached provides details of the performance data within the CPA service blocks (Culture, Housing &
Environment) which is at (or just above) the lower threshold. The table also provides details (where
available) of the position as regards the performance measure as at the 4th quarter, 2005/06 in order to
determine the most up to date position.
13. It is stressed that table 3 contains only those PIs which are at (or just above) the lower threshold. Monitoring
will be undertaken of all the performance measures within the CPA service blocks. Any performance measure
which deteriorates to a level at or just above the lower threshold will then be brought within the table for
remedial action to be considered.
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TABLE 1
BVPI/LPI
No.
Higher/lower PI title
figure
preferable
Lower
The number of racial incidents
recorded by the authority per
100,000 population
Directorate
Q4, 2004/05
performance
Q4, 2005/06
performance
Degree of
variance
Comments
Customer and
Support Services
99.77
301
201.69%
Improvements have been made in the
collection systems for this indicator
which has improved reporting/recording.
BVPI 78a
Lower
Average time for processing new
claims
Customer and
Support Services
30.30
45.30
49.50%
BVPI 78b
Lower
Average time for processing
notifications of changes of
circumstances
Customer and
Support Services
11.28
18.34
62.59%
This deterioration in performance is
attributable to the introduction of the
new computer system for council tax
and benefits. While data was being
transferred between systems our users
had no means of processing claims and
this had a direct effect on scoring for this
PI.
The change to the new computer
system has had a similar effect here as
with BVPI 78a.
LPI 114
Lower
Gross cost of collecting Council Tax
Customer and
Support Services
1.21
1.61
33.06%
BVPI
199a
Lower
The proportion of land and highways
that is assessed as having
combined deposits of litter and
detritus
Environment
16
23
43.75%
BVPI 174
The cost of collection for council tax is
£1.614m and although this is higher
than the target for the year, some
adjustment has been made to the
apportionment of costs between this
service and the benefits service.
Collectively both services are within
target.
Comments awaited.
TABLE 1
BVPI/LPI
No.
LPI 112
BVPI
184b
Higher/lower PI title
figure
preferable
Lower
Rent arrears of current tenants as a
proportion of the authority's rent roll
Directorate
Q4, 2004/05
performance
Q4, 2005/06
performance
Degree of
variance
Comments
Housing and
Planning
3.30
3.65
10.61%
Higher
Housing and
Planning
13.40
7.10
88.73%
The final quarter of the year saw the
implementation of the Rent Income
Team Recovery Plan. This was an
intensely focused plan that aimed to
deliver the best possible performance
against indicators highlighted as most at
risk in the short time available.
Changes to procedure, case
management and the performance
management framework are being
made to improve against this indicator.
A programme of works is ongoing to
target properties which do not meet the
Decent Homes Standard, or are about
to become non-decent through poor
condition and/or the age of components.
The percentage of non decent homes is
58.15% against a target of 60% for the
start of 2005/2006.
The % of change in the proportion of
non-decent houses between 1st
April 2005 and 31st March 2006
TABLE 2
Key Issues arising from QPE meetings 3rd Quarter 2005/06
QPE MEETING
Chief Executive,
Thursday 16th
February 2006
Housing and Planning,
Friday 17th February
2006. Meeting
cancelled to be
discussed in Quarter 4
2005/06.
Customer and Support
Services, Monday 20th
February 2006.
KEY ISSUES RAISED
ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY DIRECTOR
RESPONSIBLE
DIRECTOR(s)

Post of Anti-Social Behaviour Manager
 Head of Community Safety to attend meeting
with Human Resources to discuss this
Don Brown

Concerns of how the Community Safety
department is structured
 Clear management to be established
Don Brown
 Crime reduction initiatives are being developed
with partner agencies
Don Brown

Increase in the number of thefts from vehicles

Development of corporate/LSP research
function
 As progress has not been made the processes
are to be reassessed. A draft Corporate
Research Strategy will be available by end of
June 2006.
Ruth Fairhurst

The % of Council Tax collected is causing
great concern.
 A monthly report is to be provided to Lead
Member Briefing and Councillor Lancaster. A
strategy is also to be put in place to handle the
press.
Director of Customer
and Support Services

Situation with 'Think Customer'
 Report to be provided on where it is now and a
meeting to be arranged with all involved.
Martin Vickers

BVPI 11c - Top 5% of earners who have a
disability
 Letters and questionnaires are beings sent to all
employees. Human Resources will be chasing
all non-returns. Indicator will improve once all
Director of Customer
and Support Services
QPE MEETING
KEY ISSUES RAISED
ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY DIRECTOR
RESPONSIBLE
DIRECTOR(s)
the information is collected.
Community Health and
Social Care,
Wednesday 22nd
February 2006.
Meeting cancelled to
be discussed in
Quarter 4 2005/06.
Environment,
Wednesday 22nd
February 2006.
 Concern about devolving Neighbourhood
Management to Estate level and the delegation
of mainstream service budgets to
Neighbourhood Management Teams.
 Clarification of Street Scene Management outstanding report deferred from Cabinet in
March 2005.
 Little commitment from the Home Office to
support facilitation of skills enhancement and
training for prisoners and probationers, in line
with the employability agenda, despite
meetings nothing had developed since the last
QPE.
 Leader stressed the need to support Parks for
People Strategy and also wants more
information on use and potential use of section
106's.
 The use of Agency Staff in Liveability caused
concern as their remuneration does match
permanent employees. They have had to buy
own uniforms and there were promised
vacancies which they could apply for, but didn't
seem to materialise.
 Councillor Lea is consider further with Councillor
Mann and report back to the Leader.
Councillor Lea
 Leader is to arrange with appropriate officer and
members
Leader
 To progress.
Dave Tinker
 Lead Member for Environment is to meet with
the Lead Member for Planning on this issue and
report to Cabinet.
Councillor Lea
 Report further on issues as they develop.
Dave Robinson
QPE MEETING
Children's Services,
Monday 13th March
2006. Meeting
cancelled to be
discussed in Quarter 4
2005/06.
KEY ISSUES RAISED
ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY DIRECTOR
RESPONSIBLE
DIRECTOR(s)
PERFORMANCE AGAINST CPA DATA
TABLE 3
This table identifies;

Those PIs which fall at or below the lower threshold in CPA 2005; and
Those PIs that are showing a deteriorating performance as at the 4th Quarter of 2005/06, where information is
available
Service ref
Ref
(1)
CULTURE
C9
PI title
(2)
BVPI
119e
Lower
threshold
(3)
Resident
satisfaction
with
parks/open
spaces
Upper
threshold
(4)
66%
2004/05
performance
(5)
77%
CPA PI
Score
Dec
2005
(6)
(7)
63% +/- 2.72
Lower
2005/06 Q4
performance
Action/comments
(8)
3 yearly
survey. Next
survey
September,
2006
This PI is part of the 3 yearly
statutory survey. This survey
is due to be repeated late
2006 with the data proposed
to be used for CPA 2006.
Much is being done to
improve parks and open
spaces, and public
perception, which should be
reflected in the next survey.
Service ref
Ref
(1)
HOUSING
H1
H13
PI title
(2)
Lower
threshold
(3)
Upper
threshold
(4)
2004/05
performance
(5)
(6)
CPA PI
Score
Dec
2005
2005/06 Q4
performance
(7)
Action/comments
(8)
BVPI
184a
The proportion
of non-decent
LA homes
53%
21%
65%
Lower
58.15%
Performance for 2005/06 was
58.15%. This still positions
Salford below the lower
threshold. Salford is at a
major disadvantage with this
PI as we are an ALMO
without funding and therefore
we will not achieve the targets
until we are funded. Funding
is subject to a successful
inspection and this is not due
until September 2007 at the
earliest.
BVPI
75a
Satisfaction
with
opportunities
to participate
68.2%
77.5%
45%
Lower
3 yearly
survey. Next
survey
September,
2006
The figures for this were
taken from the 2004/05
Status Survey. This is a 3
yearly survey. However New
Prospect has now decided to
do this annually and may with
A/C agreement be able to use
Service ref
Ref
(1)
PI title
(2)
Lower
threshold
(3)
H18
HSSA
sectio
ns A5
& A6
The % of total
private sector
homes vacant
for more than
6 months
H6
BVPI
66a
H8
BVPI
212
Upper
threshold
(4)
1.14%
(North
West)
2004/05
performance
(5)
(6)
CPA PI
Score
Dec
2005
2005/06 Q4
performance
(7)
Action/comments
(8)
0% (North
west)
4.78%
Lower
Annual
Rent collection 96.18%
and arrears
98.2%
96.42%
Mediu
m
96.40%
Average re-let 54.5 days
times
(North
West)
34.2 days
(North West)
47 days
Mediu
m
45 days
the annual figures. These are
showing improvement and the
actual figures for 2005/06 will
be available soon.
Housing are currently in
negotiation with the Audit
Commission regarding this
indicator and ways that we
can report it to improve
performance. Outcome to
follow in due course.
Current performance is now
above the CPA lower
threshold.
Performance is now above
the lower threshold at 45
days.
Service ref
Ref
PI title
(1)
(2)
(3)
ENVIRONMENT
E10
BVPI % of non224a
principal
classified
roads where
maintenance
should be
considered
E18
BVPI Condition
of
187a
footways
E22
E6
BVPI
179
The % of
standard
searches
carried out
within 10 days
BVPIs Recycling and
82a & composting
b
performance
Lower
threshold
Upper
threshold
(4)
2004/05
performance
(5)
(6)
CPA PI
Score
Dec
2005
2005/06 Q4
performance
(7)
Action/comments
(8)
2-year
average
greater
than or
equal to
25%
2-year
average less
than or equal
to 12%
36.86%
Lower
36%
The 2 year average means
that this indicator is still below
the lower threshold.
However, it is proposed that
this indicator is deleted for
CPA 2006.
2-year
average
greater
than or
equal to
38%
94%
2-year
average less
than or equal
to 18%
38.1
Lower
30.37%
2 year average puts this
indicator above the lower
threshold of 38%.
99.8%
86.63%
Lower
93.55%
Performance is below the
lower threshold of 94%.
Actual
2003/04
performanc
e less than
or equal to
both
Actual
12.15%
2003/04
performance
met or
exceeded both
individual
Mediu
m
22.95%
Performance is now above
the lower threshold.
Service ref
Ref
(1)
PI title
(2)
(3)
Lower
threshold
Upper
threshold
(4)
individual
2003/04
SPS
(capped at
30%) and
low cut off
point set at
13% (15%
proposed
for CPA
2006).
(5)
2003/04 SPS
(capped at
30%) and
national 17%
target for the
year(25%)
proposed for
CPA
2006).Any
council which
has already
met its
2005/06 SPS
in 2004/05 will
also be
deemed to be
at or above
the upper
threshold.
2004/05
performance
(6)
CPA PI
Score
Dec
2005
(7)
2005/06 Q4
performance
(8)
Action/comments