Agenda item

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Neighbourhood Working, the Interim Strategic Director – Children and Young People’s Services and the Joint Assistant Director  - Inclusion and Support Services attended the meeting to present a report that provided proposals to members on different options for providing them with relevant and accurate performance information regarding key performance indicators in the Children and Young People’s Directorate in a way that enabled members to provide effective scrutiny and challenge to officers.

It was noted that in June 2018, following consultation with a group of members, the Improving Lives Select Commission began to receive a weekly tracker that provided performance information on selected measures of interest. In February 2020 the frequency of the report changed to monthly as it had become apparent that many of the measures did not lend themselves to weekly reporting as the incremental changes were often small meaning that changes and trends in performance were not always  easy to identify and monitor.

The change of frequency of the weekly tracker had been discussed at the meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission on 3 March 2020 after members of the committee had expressed concern about the change of frequency of the tracker report (Minute No. 58), and it had been resolved that the Chair should discuss the circulation of the report and future methods of performance monitoring with the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Neighbourhood Working. The officer’s report set out four proposed approaches to performance monitoring for the future for the committee to consider.

The Deputy Leader noted the concerns that members had had regarding the change of frequency of the performance tracker, but advised that the proposed option of members receiving detailed monthly scorecards and then being able to request more detailed information on selected performance indicators was a more effective method of performance monitoring as well as being more sustainable to produce with regard to staff resources. The Joint Assistant Director noted that the production of the weekly tracker did create some duplication of work for staff and that the monitoring of data weekly could potentially lead to a misleading picture of performance being shown, or for developing longer term trends being missed. The Interim Strategic Director advised that the proposed method of performance monitoring provided an opportunity for members to take part in more detailed and in-depth performance monitoring than was currently the case.

The Chair acknowledged the reasons that had led to the frequency of the performance tracker being changed and for changes to the methods of performance monitoring being made, but noted that she would have preferred for the concerns about the frequency of reporting to have been raised with the committee before any changes had been made.

Members noted that the weekly performance tracker had been introduced after observing good practice at other local authorities and in response to Rotherham’s history where elected members had been seen as not knowing what was going on with regard to Children and Young People’s Services. It was noted that the introduction of the weekly performance tracker had ensured that members had been better informed and that it had also provided an effective tool in informing the development of the commission’s work programme. Members also expressed concern that the weekly performance tracker had only been shared with the membership of the Improving Lives Select Commission and not with all elected members.

Members considered the different options for performance monitoring in the future that had been proposed in the officer’s report.

The Interim Strategic Director advised that the option of members receiving detailed monthly scorecards and then requesting more detailed information on selected performance indicators provided a great opportunity members to get involved in thorough and effective performance monitoring and advised that if members wished that any revised procedures could be reviewed after a period of operation.  Members noted the importance of effective performance monitoring, especially during the pandemic where demand on services was uncertain.

After consideration, members were in agreement that the performance tracker should continue to be produced on a monthly basis and circulated with the monthly performance scorecards to all elected members, and not just to members of the Improving Lives Select Commission.  Members agreed that once in receipt of the performance information that they would raise any issues of concern promptly so that discussions with senior officers could be arranged to address their questions and concerns.

Resolved: -

1)    That the report be noted.

2)    That the Children and Young People’s Services Vision Tracker continues to be circulated on a monthly basis.

3)    That the Children and Young People’s Services Vision Tracker, along with the monthly scorecards be circulated to all members of the Council.

4)    That after receiving the Children and Young People’s Services Vision Tracker and the monthly scorecards, members of the Improving Lives Select Commission should, if required, request a meeting with lead officers to undertake a performance clinic type discussion based on the particular measures or interest or concern.

5)    That the revised methods of monitoring performance be reviewed at the June 2021 meeting of the Improving Lives Select Commission.