To report performance for the first half of 2007-08 against the Annual Operating Plan 2007-08, national performance indicators used externally to measure the performance of the council, together with performance against revenue and capital budgets and corporate risks, and remedial action to address areas of under-performance.

THAT:

(a)     performance to the end of November 2006, and remedial action to address areas of under-performance, be considered;

(b)     there no longer be in-year reporting of most of the performance indicators that measure the public’s perceptions of quality of life or services; but, instead, that progress towards improving them should be judged against 3-year targets, with performance being reported annually; and with in-year performance reporting of the things that are happening that should change for the better how people perceive their quality of life and services; and

(c)     the Overall Improvement Plan and associated Board should be closed down as soon as possible, but no later than 31^st March 2007, and all designated major transformation and improvement programmes be taken forward under the umbrella of the Transformation Board.

The Council’s current Corporate Plan sets out the Council’s objectives, priorities and targets for the three years 2006-09.  The Annual Operating Plan (AOP) is the detailed action plan for the first of these years, 2006-07 and has been updated for the purpose of these reports to include the indicators in the Local Area Agreement (LAA) and Herefordshire Community Strategy (HCS).  This report summarises progress in the first eight months of this operating year, including action being taken to address under-performance.

There are no alternative options.