Agenda and minutes

- report of Performance and Development Officer

            The Executive Director of Housing and Environmental Services submitted a report detailing the Programme Area’s performance against relevant key performance indicators at the year end of the 2003/04 financial year.

            77% of the Indicators had achieved or exceeded the year end target with action in place to ensure that experiences learnt would be enacted to further progress next year.  This compared with 50% in the previous year.  These results signified a “sea change” in performance management within the Programme Area as 43 (84%) of the Service’s KPI’s had improved over the last 12 months.  Significant improvement had been seen in the Repairs and Maintenance Service, Void Management and Waste Management KPIs.

            When compared to the All England figures published in December, 2003, 87.5% of the Indicators were in the top and upper middle quartiles.  This compared to 57.5% of Indicators in the higher quartiles in 2002/03.  All Housing Services’ KPI’s  were achieving top or upper middle quartile.  Since the end of 2003/04, 3 of the Programme Area’s Indicators had moved up 2 quartile places, 4 had moved up 1 and 9 had remained static.  During 2003/04 none had dropped a quartile place.

            The Indicators that did not achieve their stretching top quartile aspiring target had achieved substantial improvement.  An example was given of BVPI185 (repairs by appointment) which missed its target of 75% but compared to 2002/03 had improved 548%  which demonstrated step change.  Of the Programme Area’s 19 customer developed Local Performance Indicators, 95% had improved over the 12 months. 

            Compared with ALMO authorities BVPI68 (void relet time) was achieving top quartile and recognised as fourth best in the country.

            The Service believed that the excellent performance had been accomplished through a culture change in performance management.  Over the last 12 months this had been achieved through the implementation of performance clinics, monthly target setting and action planning which were now felt to be embedded in the culture of the Programme Area.  The Programme Area’s aim is to achieve top quartile in 2005.  It was felt that the outturn figures showed that the Programme Area was on target to achieve this.  There were teams of officers and individuals already analysing 2003/04’s performance to identify those areas for further improvement to ensure targets for 2004/05 were attained.

            The Programme Area’s performance management framework had been assessed by the Corporate Performance Unit which had identified 38 areas of good practice which had been shared with the rest of the Council.  Excellent feedback had also been received from the Audit Commission on the performance management framework and also acknowledged during the Inspection of the Repairs and Maintenance Service that step change had been seen in this area.

            Resolved:-  (1)  That the report and progress made be noted.

            (2)  That acknowledgement be placed on record of the clear evidence of the sea change made in performance.

            (3)  That an analysis be submitted of the best and worst Performance Indicators  and any suggested Policy reviews necessary in light of the progress made.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 255.