Agenda item
Strategic Performance and Corporate Budget Monitoring to 31st December 2010 (CAB 101/101)
Decision:
Resolved:
1. That the Council’s financial position as outlined in paragraphs 5 and 6 and appendices 1-7 of the report (CAB 101/101) be noted;
2. That the Quarter 3 2010/11 performance, including areas where further work is needed to ensure the Authority delivers improved outcomes, be noted;
3. That the actions being taken to address the reported overspends be noted; and
4. That specific ‘You Decide!’ actions, as set out in section 8 of the report (CAB 101/101), be approved.
Action by:
CORPORATE DIRECTOR RESOURCES (C. NAYLOR)
Service Head, One Tower Hamlets, Chief Executive’s (M. Keating)
Service Head, Corporate Finance, Resources (A. Finch)
Minutes:
Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Cabinet Member for Resources, at the request of the Mayor, in introducing the report, summarised the key points contained therein, commenting as follows:-
· The joint report brought together the Authority’s performance and budget position. It was important to look at the two together to identify the current position with regard to delivery of outcomes for the community within the budget and best value framework.
· Effective performance monitoring and reporting crucial given the standards to be met and the constant need to improve services.
· 53% of the strategic indicators reportable in this period were on target, and 62% had improved performance since this time last year.
· 12 projects within the “You Decide” participatory budgeting programme were now complete, 69 were on track and 24 were delayed but anticipated to complete on time. Only 4 projects were at risk of not meeting overall project targets in 2011/12. Mitigating action was detailed in the report.
· In terms of Budget management, the Mayor and Cabinet had asked officers to take all necessary steps to ensure the Authority stay within budget. Apart from a small overspend on both the General Fund and the HRA, amounting overall to less than 1% of total spending, the Authority was doing well.
· There was no room for complacency as it was acknowledged that next year there was a huge challenge, to find £17 million more in savings and stay within budget, without compromising service delivery.
A discussion followed, during which the proposals in the report were broadly welcomed, and which focused on the following points:-
· With reference to paragraph 7.12 “Strategic 103, 104 – The percentage of the top paid - LP07 or above - of Local Authority staff that are an ethnic minority/ have a disability”: Whilst acknowledging that good work had been undertaken to improve performance, concern was expressed that the indicators were reported as at risk of achieving the year-end target again in 2011/12. Achieving a workforce to reflect the community was a strategic priority for the Authority, set by this and previous administrations, but clearly much more needed to be done to achieve this at the level of senior management. Clarification/ assurance was sought as to what more could be done to address this area of under-performance.
· Mr Naylor, Corporate Director Resources and Mr Collins Chief Executive responded as follows:-
o Commenting that the Authority should be proud of its achievements to date in this area and the positive direction of travel noted and commended. Organisations in the private sector could not match the Council in this area.
o Giving an assurance that the Corporate Management Team and Service Heads were totally committed to the achievement of this objective.
o Advising that the report detailed a continuous trajectory towards achievement of the objective and in many areas the objective had been achieved or was close to being so, however further work was needed to achieve the goal at senior management level.
o Outlining initiatives under way to improve performance/ achieve the objective including:
Ø Vacancy assurance process.
Ø Opportunities arising due to current organisational change.
Ø PO5/6 officers working on projects alongside senior managers.
Ø Allocation of significant resources within the Budget.
Ø Forthcoming review of positive action initiatives in this context with outcome to be reported to Cabinet.
· Councillor Jackson, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, speaking with the consent of the Mayor and Cabinet, sought and was given clarification/ assurance in relation to:
o Appendix 8 Strategic Performance Indicators, National 099/ Strategic 325 Looked after Children reaching level 4 in English at Key Stage 2 and also National 100/ Strategic 326 Looked after Children reaching level 4 in mathematics at Key Stage 2 – both with reported under-performance and negative direction of travel at end of quarter 3.
o Appendix 8 Strategic Performance Indicators, National 093/ Strategic 322 Progression by 2 levels in English between Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 and also National 094/ Strategic 323 Progression by 2 levels in Maths between Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 – both with a reported dip in performance at end of quarter 3.
The Mayor Moved the recommendations as set out in the report; and it was:-
Resolved:
1. That the Council’s financial position as outlined in paragraphs 5 and 6 and appendices 1-7 of the report (CAB 101/101) be noted;
2. That the Quarter 3 2010/11 performance, including areas where further work is needed to ensure the Authority delivers improved outcomes, be noted;
3. That the actions being taken to address the reported overspends be noted; and
4. That specific ‘You Decide!’ actions, as set out in section 8 of the report (CAB 101/101), be approved.
Reasons for Decisions
These are detailed in paragraph 3.0 of the report (CAB 101/101)
Alternative Options Considered
These are detailed in paragraph 4.0 of the report (CAB 101/101)
Supporting documents:
- Q3 Monitoring Report 28 2 11 Final CAB 090311 IT0103111144am, item 10.2 PDF 149 KB
- Appendix 1 - Budget and Target Adjustment 15 2 11 IT0103111144am, item 10.2 PDF 14 KB
- Appendix 2 - 09 GF CMBM 28 2 11 IT0103111144am, item 10.2 PDF 158 KB
- Appendix 3 - 09 HRA CMBM 15 2 11 IT0103111144am, item 10.2 PDF 24 KB
- Appendix 4 - Efficiency Savings 15 2 11 IT0103111144am, item 10.2 PDF 19 KB
- Appendix 5 - Transformation Savings 15 2 11 IT0103111144am, item 10.2 PDF 18 KB
- Appendix 6 - Capital Budget Reconciliation 28 2 11 IT0103111144am, item 10.2 PDF 15 KB
- Appendix 7 - Capital Programme 28 2 11 IT0103111144am, item 10.2 PDF 65 KB
- Appendix 8 - Strategic Indicators Q3 IT0103111144am, item 10.2 PDF 184 KB
- Appendix 9 - PB Monitoring - FINAL (2). IT0103111144am, item 10.2 PDF 126 KB