Agenda item

To consider a report by Councillor H.H. Evans, Leader of the Council (copy enclosed), to provide information regarding the key areas of performance for the Council and, to enable Cabinet to carry out its performance management function.

Councillor Barbara Smith, presented the report which provided information regarding the key areas of performance for the Council, to enable Cabinet to carry out its performance management function. 

Paragraph 2.1, percentage of all pupils who leave compulsory education, training or work-based learning without an approved external qualification has reduced to 0.8% which equates to 11 pupils.

Councillor Eryl Williams, clarified to the Committee that the indicator would improve due to the hard work being done in changing some children’s attitude to education. The numbers are expected to decrease even further this summer.

Paragraph 2.2, percentage of adult protection referrals completed where the risk has been managed, this indicator will be discussed at the Service Challenge.

Paragraph 2.3, of the two people who were reported to be in unsuitable accommodation, one was pregnant and the second would not co-operate. 

Head of Adult & Business Services (H:ABS), had been in correspondence with high performing local authorities to discuss similar issues.

Regarding paragraphs 12.1 and 12.2 there have been issues with PARIS regarding data cleansing.  This had now commenced, and an update would be available during the next service challenge.  Four local authorities in Wales access the PARIS system – Denbighshire, Conwy, Flintshire and Swansea.  Work was currently taking place for a national system to be used.

Councillor Eryl Williams raised the issue of school key stage 1 and 3.  Councillor Williams expressed concern as Estyn did not consider key stage 3 to be important.  Another concern was whether key stage 2 children were assessed at the end of primary school and beginning of junior school.

Councillor Williams and Karen Evans visited Tower Hamlets last week. Both Denbighshire and Tower Hamlets have deprived and affluent areas within their areas but Tower Hamlets did not include key stage 3 in their figures at all.  Tower Hamlets felt key stage 2 and 4 show exactly what standard children had reached and key stage 4 was classed as the most important.

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, welcomed the report.  Approximately £15million had been spent on roads throughout the County and the residents survey responses received were not responsive of this fact.  The perception of the general public needs to be investigated.  Councillor Thompson-Hill expressed concern regarding the measuring of indicators on the priorities.

Corporate Improvement Team Manager (CITM) responded by explaining the following:-

(a)               Performance Measures measure the Council’s performance.

(b)               Indicators give an indication of whether what Denbighshire was doing had an impact.

Councillor Williams commented that it was essential the lists of outstanding highway work were robust and accurate.

The Chief Executive (CE) stated this was the last report on the current Corporate Plan.  There was a need to review Performance Indicators and also an opportunity to review priorities and how these would be measured.

He referred to:-

(a)               The two young people in custody have been mentioned previously in reports due to the Court recommending their accommodation was unsuitable.

(b)               Regarding the roads, investment in improving roads was taking place but Denbighshire had been unable to demonstrate the improvements to members of the public and this needed to be rectified.

The Head of Business Planning and Performance (HBPP) informed Cabinet that a new corporate plan was being developed with new priorities and indicators.  Members would be involved in the process.   

The Corporate Performance Report would be presented to the Performance Scrutiny Committee meeting on 28^th June 2012.

RESOLVED that subject to the above, Cabinet receive and approve the report.