Members use Covalent to identify areas for scrutiny and as a source of information about how the Council is performing.
Performance Management is supported by Members, and is used to drive improvement.
3
Report
3.1
The performance of the Council is recorded using a Performance Framework software tool, Covalent. The web-based application is now familiar to officers, although its use for recording performance data was recently severely hampered by loss of access, due to changes at NCC in the way our IT services were provided. These issues have now been resolved and it is hoped that regular reporting of best value and local performance indicator information will embed across the whole organisation.
3.2
Covalent is also used to assess strategic and operational risk and to monitor progress on any actions, such as those which form part of action plans and projects for example.
3.3
The system operates on the principle of a traffic light system, so that problems are readily visible, and the presentation of data can be tailored to meet a specific requirement, such as performance indicators not meeting targets, or actions which are overdue or unlikely to meet target timescales.
3.4
Due to the problems caused by limited access, the quarterly data for January to March 2007, and the annual outturn data for 2006 / 07 has not been finalised at the time of writing this report. It is expected that all data will be entered and verified by 8th June 2007, so that the Best Value Performance Plan can be completed for presentation to Council and electronically submitted to the Audit Commission.
3.5
Covalent has the potential to be a primary source of information for Members, particularly relating to Overview and Scrutiny. Members are encouraged to apply for user access and to use Covalent to identify areas where scrutiny would be appropriate in order to improve performance or promote speedier completion of outstanding actions.
3.6
Performance issues to be taken into consideration currently are related to the Best Value Satisfaction Survey results, presented by SMSR Consultant, Darren Hornby, to Members and Officers who attended a briefing on Thursday 24th May 2007. Most of the results have been entered onto Covalent, but some are still outstanding. Additionally, of those that have been entered, many have not been activated. This is in part due to a lack of “ownership” of the data, and Members are asked to encourage the use of the results of public consultation such as this to help shape the priorities of the Council and to drive improvement in a way that satisfies the needs of the community.
4
Implications
4.1
Comments from the Council’s Section 151 Officer
No comments.
4.2
Comments from the Council’s Monitoring Officer
No comments.
4.3
Comments from the Head of Paid Service
None arising directly from this report, and the importance of Members involvement in monitoring performance can only be re-emphasised.
4.4
Local Agenda 21
No comments arising from this report.
4.5
Equality
All services and policies must reflect equality and diversity issues
