To present Members of the Performance and Administration Committee with an update against the Performance Management Framework, as set out within the council’s Corporate Plan 2015-19, for Quarter Two 2017-18 (July to September 2017).

The Corporate Performance Manager presented Members of the Performance and Administration Committee with an update against the Performance Management Framework, as set out within the council’s Corporate Plan 2015-19, for Quarter Two 2017-18 (July to September 2017).

The Corporate Performance Manager explained that although two performance measures hadn’t been met; overall the performance is strong and in many of the areas the Council is ahead of the Kent average.

The Director (Corporate Services) the Service Manager (Revenues & Benefits) and the Corporate Performance Manager fielded questions from the Committee and highlighted the following:

• Internal Audit and Counter Fraud are monitored through the Finance & Audit Committee which receives biannual reports. Management Team also receive quarterly updates and Audit reports are issued to relevant Directors.
• 32 Internal Audit recommendations have been completed, leaving 16 outstanding. The remaining recommendations largely relate to constitutional updates which take time to progress.
• PM 11: The outturn for Q2 is 2.7 days below the stretching target of 18 days put in place for 2017/18, albeit 1.3 days ahead of the equivalent Kent average (as at Q1 2017/18). In Q2 resources were stretched primarily due to staff sickness and the summer holiday season. As in previous years we will be looking to improve and reach our target over the course of the second half of the year.
• Analysis has been completed on staff sickness and stress and anxiety levels were found to be considerably lower than initially thought. There is a sub-group of the Overview Scrutiny Committee that is currently looking at sickness and stress and the impact on staff at GBC.
• Benefits change of circumstances can be processed quicker because a lot of information is now provided electronically.
• PM 9 – PM10: Council Tax collection is on track to achieve the target. Business rates collection: last year the Council achieved a record level of performance for the authority, 99.11%. The team will continue to work towards matching this success.
• As long as people inform the Council about a change in their income / ability to pay; GBC can help and, if necessary, change the arrangement to suit their financial situation.
• Debt will only be written off in circumstances where there is clearly no chance of recovering the debt.
• PI 45: the percentage of posts involved in shared services arrangements increased from 4% to 6% (equating to around 25 to 30 officers) with the launch of the shared legal service. Looking forward; Revenues and Benefits shared service with Tonbridge & Malling is expected to be in place by July 2018. The shared HR service with Medway is progressing and a three way shared Environmental Health service with Medway and Tonbridge and Malling is also being explored.
• Processes are in place to ensure that ‘voluntary resignation’ is a last resort for those officers who do not wish to transfer to another authority as part of a shared service arrangement. In the case of the Revenues and Benefits shared service; a satellite hub will be established at GBC, home working capabilities will also be assessed as well as redeployment opportunities.
• Canterbury will be joining the STG Building Control Partnership.

The Committee noted the Annual Corporate Performance Update – Quarter Two 2017-18 (July September 2017).