To report performance for the whole of the operating year 2007-08 against the Annual Operating Plan 2007-08, Best Value Performance Indicators, and the Direction of Travel indicators used previously by the Audit Commission.

The Cabinet Member Corporate, Customer Services and Human Resources presented the Integrated Performance and Finance Report (IPFR), which outlines performance for the whole operating year 2007/08 against the Annual Operating Plan 2007/08, Best Value Performance Indicators and the Direction of Travel indicators.  Cabinet was informed that the Council’s performance was still improving, although a significant number of targets had not been reached and the rate of overall improvement was slowing.  More consideration needs to be given in future to setting appropriate, challenging targets.  However, as many targets were agreed as part of the Local Area Agreement (LAA) the Local Public Service Agreement (LPSA) or the Herefordshire Community Strategy (HCS) more work still needed to be done to deliver to the timescales outlined and ensure that under performance was rectified.  Finally, future IPFR’s would be in a revised format to accommodate the national indicator set and other desirable changes.

A Member in attendance raised a question on climate change and the continued lack of baseline figures.  Cabinet was advised that this was now one of the new national indicators and some work was still needed to establish what the government was setting as the baseline for Herefordshire.

Note:   Subsequent to the meeting it was established that the Council had now received DEFRA's baseline figure for carbon emissions in Herefordshire and progress against this would be monitored from now onwards

RESOLVED:

            THAT:

(i)         performance in 2007/08 be noted; and

(ii)               directors ensure that the issues are addressed within their respective areas, including the updating of service improvement plans.