To approve the data quality policy.

The Cabinet Member for Corporate, Customer Services and Human Resources stated that following the annual audit for 2007/08 of the authority’s data quality, the anticipated score of 2 had been achieved in an overall ranking of 1-4 (4 being the best score). The Audit and Corporate Governance Committee had authorised the formal response to the audit and it was emphasised that there was a need for the authority, across all directorates, to continue to improve its data quality systems and processes. Executive and Scrutiny Members would play their part in ensuring the authority’s arrangements for ensuring high data quality were thorough and consistently applied.

The Head of Performance and Policy advised the Cabinet this issue was important. It represented a shift in the authority’s approach to include working together with our partners.  It also represented a fundamental shift in the approach of the various regulatory bodies. If assurance could be given that the quality of the authority’s data was of sufficient robustness and followed regulatory guidance, it was anticipated that regulators would have confidence in our methods. If the authority did not adopt a more robust approach in future, the authority would be regulation would be more stringent.

The Data Quality Policy (pages 106-108) was based on existing voluntary standards, and had a critical role for members (specifically, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 6.1).  The policy at paragraphs 7.1 and 7.2 outlined the suggested monitoring arrangements and paragraph 7.3 suggested an annual review and data quality audit report.

In discussion the following points were raised:

• In response to the question raised regarding how closely the PCT and the Council’s data quality requirements were aligned and had the PCT signed up to the policy before Cabinet, it was stated that whilst the Council and PCT are working together to improve data quality the PCT had not yet signed up to the specific data quality policy. The Chief Executive emphasised that the PCT had stringent processes for data quality and that the health sector tended to have better data management arrangements than local government.  It was hoped that the PCT would share their data quality skills with Council colleagues
• The clarity of the report was applauded and it was stated that it was an example of the culture which needed to be adopted wider through the authority.

RESOLVED

THAT Cabinet:

(a)               note the actions taken by the Chief Executive to improve data quality; and

(b)       approve those elements of the data quality policy (as at Appendix 1) that relate to its own role and those of the Leader, lead Cabinet Member and all Members.