To review performance for quarter 3 2019/20 and the budget outturn.

To provide assurance that progress is being made towards achievement of the agreed revenue budget and service delivery targets, and that the reasons for major variances or potential under-performance are understood and are being addressed to the cabinet’s satisfaction. 

The cabinet member finance and corporate services introduced the report and summarised key areas of performance. The report reflected performance to the end of December 2019. The highlights included:

·         A small projected overspend of £51k which it was hoped could be addressed by the end of the financial year;

·         70% of measures showing equivalent or improved performance from the same point in the previous year;

·         A review of the capital programme would be undertaken including adjusting timelines as necessary to make them more realistic;

·         An increase in the number of council staff taking up the flu vaccination through the Council’s workplace programme;

·         Key Stage 2 results from primary schools put Herefordshire in the top 20 of education authorities nationally, there had been some backsliding on performance at secondary schools but Looked After Children were now showing better improvement on performance;

·         Further support to the NMiTe university project and the Hereford Enterprise Zone;

·         Continued work on measures to address the Lugg catchment phosphate moratorium;

·         Continued progress on delivery of superfast broadband and improved fibre connections in rural areas.

The head of corporate performance explained that the council was now in the final year of the current corporate plan and that two thirds of the current delivery plan actions were on track as complete or due to be completed by the end of the year. He highlighted changes to the corporate risk register where three risks had been removed, the risk around information governance had been increased and five new risks had been escalated and added to the corporate risk register as explained in the report.  

In discussion of the report it was noted that:

·         The council would be moving to new indicators for 2020/21 with the approval of the new county plan;

·         Sickness absence figures related to average days absence in a 12 month rolling period and showed an upward trajectory compared with the same point in the previous year, the chief executive agreed to provide further information on the actions being taken to manage this;

·         The proportion of 16 and 17 year olds participating in training had reduced slightly but the council was highly engaged with apprenticeships and was actively looking to do more to promote these options;

·         Commissioning of major council contracts included requirements for the provision of apprenticeships and the council also promoted these through its relationship with Hoople, the chief executive agreed to provide further information on this area of work;

·         As corporate parents all councillors and officers had a responsibility to support and encourage children in care and care leavers to participate in education and training, the cabinet member for children and families highlighted that the council would shortly be appointing a champion for young people;

·         The legal services team were in the process of reorganisation and it was hoped that recruitment to vacant posts would commence this year however experience had shown that Herefordshire struggled to recruit in this field;

·         The number of people killed or seriously injured was monitored very carefully as the county’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 134