Agenda item

To present the Corporate Scorecard for Quarter 4 2016/17.

The report of the Head of Transformation incorporating the Corporate Scorecard which portrayed the Council’s position against its operational objectives at the end of Quarter 4 2016/17 in relation to Performance Management, People Management, Financial Management and Customer Service was presented for the Committee's consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Corporate Services reported that the scorecard as at Appendix A portrays a mixed picture overall at the end of 2016/17. Whilst the vast majority of indicators performed well against their targets for the year there were areas of underperformance and in the case of four indicators, the performance reflects a year on year decline. Two indicators, the one in Adults’ Services and the other in Children’s Services show as Amber or Red against their annual targets for the year. Details of these are set out in paragraphs 2.1.3 and 2.1.4 of the report along with an explanation in mitigation of the underperformance and an outline of proposed improvement measures. Although the majority of indicators are ragged Green or Yellow, this does not mean that the Authority’s position on a national basis would improve as a result. The Authority’s position relative to that of other authorities in Wales will become known once the 2016/17 national data is published by the Welsh Government.

With regard to People Management, the Authority’s sickness absence rates at the end of 2016/17 has achieved the corporate target at 9.78 days sick per FTE against the target of 10 days sick per FTE and is Green on the scorecard. This is a significant improvement on the 2015/16 performance when 11.68 days sick per FTE was recorded and represents a total of 4,737 days less sickness than in 2015/16. Whilst there remains some issues with sickness absence in Children’s Services and in Highways, Waste and Property Services, the sickness absence rates for 2016/17 in those services still reflect an improving picture. The Wales Audit report on absence management within the Council is positive in its tenor and finds that the Council has made significant improvements in its corporate arrangements for managing attendance, having made it a matter of priority. The report further finds that the Council is now proactive in holding schools to account for attendance management. The report makes two proposals for improvement in relation to how the Council supports schools with their attendance management arrangements.

In relation to Customer Service the percentage rate of responses made within timescale in relation both to complaints and to FOI requests has improved on the 2015/16 performance. The findings of the Mystery Shop exercise undertaken during the year confirms that the standard of customer care within Anglesey has improved since the last audit in 2015/16 but notwithstanding this, the report on the exercise recommends that there is scope for further improvement as outlined in paragraph 2.3.8 of the report.

Mr Gwilym Bury, Wales Audit Office, reported in detail on the findings of the audit of the Council’s management of attendance. The review found that the Council has significantly improved its corporate arrangements to manage sickness absence by introducing more robust absence policies and procedures. Its comparative position nationally would now place it in an above average position; to be considered a good performing authority it would need to achieve 8 days sick per FTE; to be considered an excellent performing authority it would need to reach a target of 6.6 days sick per FTE. However, it is external audit’s view that the Council does not need to do more currently with regard to its general staff other than to continue to implement the policies and procedures it has developed and has put in place which is what a good authority would be expected to do. This should see the sickness absence rates come down gradually to nearer 8 days sick per FTE. With regard to schools, whilst it is the responsibility of the school’s governing body to have oversight of attendance management arrangements for staff in schools, the Council does have a statutory duty to promote high standards in schools, and effective resource and staff absence management plays a key role in the delivery of high standards. In promoting high standards, the Council should monitor, challenge and support its schools. Although the majority of the Island’s schools have a very low rate of staff absence a minority of schools have consistently very high absence rates both among teaching and non-teaching staff which has an impact on educational standards. There needs to be the same focus and discussion on school staff attendance as there is on pupil attendance because education is a partnership between pupils, parents and the school. The report proposes measures for further improvement including setting a pattern of regular quarterly reporting on school’s attendance performance to both the Executive and to Scrutiny.

The Head of Learning confirmed that the Education Service has for many months been focussing on addressing schools’ attendance management and that the improvements achieved have been significant in a small period of time. Additional resources have been channelled into discussions with every school both in the primary and secondary sectors and certain schools have been specifically targeted and these efforts have resulted in the improvements seen. Approximately 2,263 days have been gained and £250k saved by the Council in this period.

The Committee considered the information presented both in the internal report and the external audit report regarding the Council’s performance at year end and highlighted the following matters –

•           The Committee noted the marked improvement in sickness absence rates within the Council for 2016/17 as attested to by the Corporate Scorecard and the WAO report. It acknowledged the work and commitment at corporate and service levels that had gone into strengthening the processes to better manage attendance across the Council.

•           The Committee sought clarification of the extent of the  impact – if any, of the introduction of smarter working arrangements on attendance within the Council especially in terms of improving staff satisfaction and helping staff achieve a better work/life balance through measures such as enhanced flexible and home working, hot desking etc. The Programme, Business Planning and Performance Manager said no review of any potential correlation between smarter working arrangements and improved attendance figures has been undertaken. However the improvements that have come about as reported are due to the processes put in place through the Chief Executive and Human Resources.

•           The Committee sought further clarification of the take-up and feedback from staff in relation to smarter working initiatives. The Head of Profession said that where it is advantageous to their work, then staff have taken advantage of the alternative and flexible ways of working which smarter working promotes; the position is a variable one with a number of staff still choosing to attend the workplace and working at home to undertake specific pieces of work. The Heads of Service – Learning, Adults’ Services and Highways, Waste and Property reported on the take-up of smarter working arrangements from the perspective of their own services.

•           The Committee noted with regard to Financial Management that although the trend is downwards, the expenditure on agency staff remains an area that is ragged Red. The Head of Function (Resources) and Section 151 Officer said whilst the distinction between agency and consultancy staff is an issue in terms of attributing costs, the expenditure on agency staff within the Council especially within the Finance Service has decreased significantly. Where there is a need for agency staff e.g. within Children’s Services, the process for engaging agency staff is signed off by the Chief Executive.

The Committee, having noted the generally encouraging picture of the Council against its operational objectives for Quarter 4 2016/17 as portrayed by the Q4 Corporate Scorecard, and having been satisfied that underperforming areas have been identified and are prioritised and targeted, RESOLVED –

•           To note and support the areas which the Senior Leadership Team is managing to secure improvements into the future as summarised in paragraphs 1.3.1. to 1.3.4 of the report.

•           To note and accept the mitigation measures outlined in relation to the areas set out in the aforementioned paragraphs.

NO FURTHER ACTION ENSUING