ITEM EX8

EXECUTIVE – 22 JANUARY 2002

IDeA PEER REVIEW

Report by Director for Strategy

1. On 25 September the former Strategy & Resources Committee adopted "Raising our Performance" as a Strategic Action Plan. This commits the Council to a four-year programme of continuous improvement with the ambition of becoming a leading edge authority. In that spirit, one of the actions in "Raising our Performance" was to commission an IDeA Peer Review and build on what it teaches us about our organisation.
2. This report describes the key findings of the Peer Review report and how the Council has responded to them. It also provides, at Annex 1, a progress report on the implementation of the ‘Raising Our Performance’ action plan.
3. The IDeA Peer Review concluded their work on 12 October following an intensive week of interviews and discussions. The Review team provided oral analysis on 12 October and the Executive considered an initial report on their findings at the meeting on 6 November. The Review Team’s written report on this ‘corporate health check’ has now been received (copy attached at Annex 2).
4. The Review Team found much to commend about the County Council’s performance although we don’t always celebrate our successes. They were also impressed by the strong commitment of many of the staff and their desire to provide good and responsive services to the public.
5. However the Review team concluded that, in order for the County Council to fulfil its ambition to become a leading edge authority it would need to secure improvements in a number of areas. In particular they highlight the need to:

• agree a corporate vision and a clear set of priorities
• provide strong political and managerial leadership
• introduce a performance and project management framework
• harness new technology to support the Council’s strategic aims
• promote more active partnership working
• unleash the creativity of staff and celebrate their success with enthusiasm

6. In relation to the six key issues highlighted by the Peer Review, a good deal of progress has already been made. Details of the Peer Review team’s proposals and the action being taken are set out below.

Corporate Vision and Priorities

7. The Peer Review team recommended that the Council should have a clear direction and ensure that both staff and external stakeholders know what the Council is trying to achieve. They urge members to:

• agree a vision and a clear and limited number of priorities – Over recent months the Executive has devoted time and energy to the development of a ‘Vision’ and set of five strategic objectives. Priority targets are now being set for each strategic objective with the intention that these will be incorporated in the Oxfordshire Plan to be published in March 2002. Following consultation with a wide group of members and employees, a set of values has been provisionally agreed with the Executive pending Scrutiny Committee comment and final approval. These are also to be incorporated in the Oxfordshire Plan, a draft of which appears elsewhere on the agenda for this meeting.
• ensure they are communicated widely internally and externally – The Oxfordshire Plan will be published in full on the Council’s website and will be summarised in a leaflet distributed to every household. Seminars for staff are also being arranged to feedback on action being taken in response to ‘Raising Our Performance’, Peer Review and the recent employee survey. It is proposed that the vision statement should be promulgated through use on letterheads, while the values and priorities for action will be reflected in service plans and staff appraisals. A summary of the Oxfordshire Plan contain our vision, values and priorities will be circulated to every household with the Council tax demand. In consequence information about the Council’s vision and priorities will be widely publicised.
• allocate resources in line with the priorities - In determining its strategic objectives, the Executive has considered the financial implications and linked these to budget plans. In agreeing the priority targets the Executive will be asked to ensure that adequate funding is available to support implementation.

• monitor performance in achieving the objectives - Elsewhere on the agenda there are proposals for strengthening performance management. It is proposed that the Executive should monitor progress against priority targets on a quarterly basis.

8. The Peer Review report recommended that in order to ensure the Council can improve its performance and be effective, there is a need to:

• ensure that the new political arrangements achieve their objectives of providing strong political leadership and effective decision making – A new political structure with an Executive and Leader was introduced formally in November. The new arrangements will be reviewed in March so as to further enhance their effectiveness.
• review the current role and composition of the County Council Management Team with a view to strengthening the corporate centre and ensuring it comprises directors who are committed to a new corporate style of working – Two new Directorates (Strategy and Business Support ) were established in November with consequential changes to the composition of the County Council Management Team (CCMT). A review of the Education, Social Services and Cultural Services is underway. More work is needed over the coming months to clarify the role of a Director and strengthen team working in CCMT.
• ensure adequate support is available to both leading members, the Chief Executive and chief officers to enable them to perform effectively – Democratic Services have been reorganised to provide support for the new political management structures. Two additional posts have been created to support the Scrutiny function. In addition the Head of Organisational Development has been seconded from the Strategy Directorate to provide additional support for the Chief Executive.
• recognise, communicate and celebrate successes in the Council to encourage motivation, innovation and creativity - Directors are being encouraged to do more to promote and celebrate success but more needs to be done. CCMT will be considering opportunities to improve internal communication and the Executive has commissioned a report on options for communicating more effectively with local residents.

9. The Peer Review Team found that, in order to ensure that services are performing to a high standard and that policy is turned into action, there is a need to:

• introduce a performance management culture and framework which regularly sets SMART targets taking into account agreed priorities and monitors and reviews performance against them - Elsewhere on the agenda there is a separate report on this subject, detailing plans for strengthening performance management.
• implement a project management approach to both large scale changes as well as smaller projects, such as Best Value reviews, so that adequate resources are provided, timescales agreed, and monitoring and review of progress is undertaken on a regular basis - Project management techniques are already used for major projects including all ICT projects. These techniques are now being extended to smaller review projects including Best Value projects.
• improve support to the Chief Executive and corporate management team, and to the administration to enable tracking of progress against key political and corporate objectives - The steps identified above will improve the tracking of progress on key targets.

10. To ensure efficient internal operations and improve public access to the Council, the Peer Review report suggests there is a need to significantly increase investment in new technology - The County Council has recently agreed substantial investment for the Oxfordshire Community Network (Broadband) and further investment in this and in other aspects of ICT is envisaged in the budget proposals elsewhere on the agenda for this meeting. Consultants have been commissioned to advise on how best to develop a co-ordinated approach to e-service so as to maximise its potential benefits for customer service and effective working practices.

Partnership working

11. To meet its obligations as a community leader and the duty to promote the well being of the area, the Peer Review found that there is a need for the Council to:

• review current partnership activity to ensure there is adequate co-ordination and that all partnerships have clear objectives and are able to deliver them - The Local Strategic Partnership(LSP) is being invited to rationalise partnership working.
• adopt a more active role, bringing partners together but providing all with real opportunities to participate and make a contribution- The LSP will provide a focus for partnership working in the year ahead. In addition the Chairman and Leader have been taking steps to facilitate dialogue with interest groups within the County and to develop better links with the Government and within the region. Discussions have recently taken place or are planned with SEEDA, GOSE, and partners in Health, Education and faith communities.
• ensure the development of a community strategy which is developed through real participation of partners and local people and which takes full account of their priorities - The LSP will be responsible for developing a countywide Community Strategy and a small Secretariat is being recruited to support this work. Agreement has been received with District Councils on a complementary approach. It is intended to involve a wide range of partners in the work of the LSP.

12. In order to recognise and acknowledge staff achievements, there is a need to develop the communications policy to provide a framework to celebrate success both internally and externally - This is an area where progress is less evident. However internal communications policy is to be reviewed by CCMT and the Executive will by April, receive a report on external communications and options for a magazine/bulletin for householders.

Raising Our Performance

13. Many of the issues raised in the Peer Review were anticipated in the organisational strategy ‘Raising Our Performance’, which was approved by the Council in October. A progress report on the initiatives within the action plan is attached at Annex 1.

Conclusions

14. Good progress has already been made in response to both the Peer Review and ‘Raising Our Performance’. Performance management is the principal area of activity requiring further action and In the accompanying report on this subject additional steps are recommended. These action points will then be incorporated in the ‘Raising Our Performance’ Action Plan which will be monitored regularly by CCMT and the Executive.
15. It is suggested that the Executive should review progress in six months. In the Autumn the IDeA will follow up progress in relation to the Peer Review findings.

RECOMMENDATIONS

16. The Executive is RECOMMENDED:

1. to welcome the report of the Peer Review Team and thank them for their advice;
2. note the progress made in response to both the Peer Review and ‘Raising Our Performance’;
3. undertake a further review of progress in July 2002.

STEPHEN CAPALDI
Director for Strategy

Background papers: Nil

Contact Officer: Stephen Capaldi, Tel: Oxford 815466

10 January 2002