Agenda item

1040

Each Directorate will present proposed key performance indicators (paper to follow) which will form the basis of directorate reporting on performance to the Performance Scrutiny Committee for 2013/14.

The Committee had before them a paper setting out proposed key performance indicators. They considered the presentation from each Directorate on the  indicators in the context that they would provide the basis for  reporting on performance to the Performance Scrutiny Committee for 2013/14. The Committee adjourned at 10.45 an reconvening at 11.12 am following the flag raising ceremony for Armed Forces Week.

During discussion the following general points relating to all performance information across the board were raised:

1)     It would be helpful to have some indication of the context of performance indicators and targets. Were they nationally or locally set.

2)     Some concern was expressed about the number of indicators and it was suggested that the information should show those that were statutory and those that were discretionary.

3)     The Committee would want to explore the story behind some of the figures. For example the Council could be meeting its targets for assessments but this did not tell the Committee about the quality of those assessments.

4)     When looking at the appropriateness of indicators some consideration should be given to how far they were in the control of the County Council but it was still reasonable to scrutinise performance.

Children Education & Families

1)     With regard to education this Committee was focussed on performance. Attainment would be for the Education Scrutiny Committee to consider and any matters that came to light through this Committee would be referred back to the Education Scrutiny Committee..

2)     With regard to getting behind the indicators on keeping children safe Jim Leivers commented that there was a full range of audit information available mostly through the Safeguarding Board. Members queried whether it was possible to drill down through the information to find for example the number of child protection reviews and the number of children referred. Following discussion it was AGREED that a flow chart of the process be produced. It was possible to produce the numbers coming in to the process and the outputs with percentage shifts over time.

3)     Following further discussion on the story behind the figures in relation to thriving families he suggested that it would be possible to produce the figures and a few sentences to explain the current position.

Social & Community Services

1)     The Performance Indictors currently would not pick up issues of poor care in homes such as Winterbourne View or in individual’s own homes. There was discussion about how the right information could be obtained around a range of issues such as direct payments, individual living fund, safeguarding and thresholds. It was AGREED that a seminar be arranged for members on these issues and that an item on a future agenda looks at how to get the right performance data to ensure issues are dealt with. The Chairman referring to Item 9 on the agenda commented that this was an area that she wished to look at and that would take it forward with officers in consultation with Councillors Fawcett and Stratford.

2)     Lucy Butler undertook to re-circulate to all councillors the information on “Adopt-a-Care-Home”.

Environment & Economy

1)     There was some discussion over the accuracy of the figures relating to customer satisfaction and discussion of how these figures were obtained.

2)     Members highlighted particular concerns over the performance with regard to pot holes and asked that the final indicators find some way to measure this aspect.

3)     It would be useful to see some indicators of performance in the area of economic growth.

4)     The Directorate was involved in a great deal of partnership work and there was some concern that the indicators did not capture this. The Committee was advised that much of this work was through the Local Enterprise Partnership and there had been recent changes to the way they worked. It should be possible to bring something back on this area.

5)     Responding to comments about road safety Mark Kemp advised that performance indicators on this were included under Community safety.

6)     A number of specific issues were raised around congestion and Dial-a-Ride indicators.

Public Health

1)     It was noted that the indicators focussed on inputs rather than outputs and there was a query whether the figures were being gathered against ethnicity.

2)     Prevention being better than cure the number of people being offered a health check was important. It was an area where some work could be done with the Oxfordshire Clinical Care Commissioning Group.

3)     It was noted that the Director for Public health reported to the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee on a regular basis and it was important to avoid duplication.

4)     Some work was needed to obtain proper performance indicators rather than numbers through. It was important to understand what was being achieved against the money spent. Hard evidence would be vital when looking at the budget. Val Messenger referred to the annual evaluation work they undertook, for example with diabetes and the Chairman asked that some work be undertaken to look at this to see how it could be useful to the Committee.

Fire Service

1)     In response to a comment David Etheridge, Chief Fire Officer, acknowledged that it was preferable to use the term On Call rather than retained.

2)      It was agreed that the Annual Report that contained many of the indicators referred to in discussion be circulated to all Members and considered at a future meeting if appropriate.