Outcome / recommendation

Response

Responsible Officer

Date

Progress and evidence at September 2004

In order to provide a clear focus for communicating and progressing its ambitions, the council should:

Review the aims and objectives included in the whole range of its corporate and service strategies, to produce a single, integrated statement of corporate aims and objectives.

1. Work is underway to establish a Corporate Strategy development group which will involve those who develop other key corporate strategies and result in a clear route map through related corporate documents and corporate working.

Paddy Hillary

ongoing

The targets in the Corporate Strategy were revised to include CPA Improvement Plan and local Public Service Agreement (LPSA) targets and was published on Hantsweb with the Performance Plan in June 2004

http://www.hants.gov.uk/corporatestrategy/

2. The development of a revised service planning regime to incorporate the need to make clear linkages to corporate aims.

Jenny Heath

July 2004

A revised service planning process was rolled out across all departments. Guidelines and templates are available on Hantsnet http://hantsnet2000.hants.gov.uk/TC/bestval/puserviceplan/serviceplans.html

3. The development of web versions of plans, starting with the Performance Plan and service plans, is seen to offer further opportunities to rationalise and improve planning processes.

Jenny Heath

June 2004

May 2004

The Performance Plan was published on Hanstweb with the revised Corporate Strategy see link above.

Web versions of service plans can be found on departmental sites. Evidence: See service plans update presented to Corporate Performance Steering Group.

4. The Corporate Communications Team is developing an internal communications strategy, following the principles established in Best Value reviews. The Corporate Performance Steering Group is monitoring progress.

Caroline Foley

ongoing

The internal communications review has now been completed and a strategy and action plan written. This together with a report highlighting recommendations is due to be presented to the Corporate Performance Steering Group in October and then to the Corporate Management Team for approval.

In order to progress its aspirations for corporate crosscutting priorities (such as equalities and crime and disorder), the council should:

Ensure that these issues are given the corporate attention and central resources necessary to help the council meet its targets.

5a. Closer accountability for corporate strategy targets and monitoring their achievement should identify shortfalls in arrangements and resources.

Paddy Hillary/

Jenny Heath

Sept/Oct2004

April - June

2005

The Corporate Strategy will be monitored with service plans at the half year by Departmental Management Teams and reported to Corporate Management Team (CMT) and Cabinet in October 2004. This will inform the CPA refresh and the summary Performance Plan. The monitoring/reporting performance process includes human resources, accommodation, IT and financial issues.

Full year monitoring will take place in April 2005 and reporting in May/June 2005 to coincide with the publication of the Performance Plan.

Evidence: Corporate Report to CMT - October 2004

5b Cascading from CMT, this will also be addressed through individual performance reviews.

(Jenny Heath)

Jill Slater

Resources not available to complete project in relation to Chief Officer targets in original timescale. Subsequently this work has been progressed through the Pay and Benefits project and will be rolled out as part of the revised individual performance review process.

6. Consideration will be given to providing central resources to respond to new priorities / demands and which fall outside existing budget allocations.

Chief Executive

ongoing

Allocation of resources will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

7. Corporate groups have been established on an ad hoc basis to support initiatives as they arise, with some working better than others. The Corporate Performance Team is mapping these groups, with a view to ensuring they have mechanisms to report their findings and issues arising. In addition Member / Officer champions are being identified for crosscutting areas that would otherwise lack leadership.

Jenny Heath

April 2004

A map of Corporate Groups and Projects Register has been published showing their relationship with the Corporate Strategy aims.

http://hantsnet2000.hants.gov.uk/TC/bestval/corpgroupstor/firstpage.html

8. Equalities - a report to CMT is proposing a Best Value review of social inclusion in Year 5 and the use of service planning to raise the profile of equalities issues within operational management.

Jane Goodwin

The best value review of equality and diversity has begun and will include external validation of Equality Standard level. A phased plan is being implemented to assist departments to undertake race and equality impact assessment of service plans. Initial screening will be carried out by October and a progress report to be presented to the Corporate Performance Steering Group in November.

9. Crime and disorder - CMT / Cabinet recognised this area as one of four immediate priorities at an awayday in January 2003 and we are developing targets to deliver the council's responsibilities under the county-wide crime and disorder strategy.

Jill Lovelock

ongoing

A working group led by Alison Quant continues to meet and makes regular reports to Cabinet. The focus is on activities to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and support disaffected young people.

In order to make best use of consultation with users and stakeholders, and to ensure that consultees' views are both respected and seen to be respected, the council should:

Ensure that it consults all relevant stakeholders over strategies, policies, and priorities early enough to enable the results of consultation to influence outcomes, and make better use of established consultation mechanisms.

10. A Best Value review of `Community engagement' is planned for 2003/04. Recognising this will be a difficult area to scope and review, consideration is being given to calling for support from peer authorities or engaging external expertise to facilitate challenge.

(Jenny Heath) Keith Kerslake

Ongoing

The Community Engagement (Consultation) Best Value Review started in January 2004 and is going through the consultation process in order to evaluate the options available. The review is likely to be completed by December 2004/January 2005.

11. The Corporate Communications Team have initiated a mechanism to prompt Departmental Management Teams to demonstrate how they are responding to the outputs of corporate consultation in their plans and the Policy Unit is monitoring how corporate survey results are being taken forward.

Keith Kerslake / Malcolm Cole

(PH / JL)

Ongoing

To see surveys undertaken by Corporate Communications please visit the Consultation website http://www.hants.gov.uk/communications/researchindex.html

12. Both teams are also involved in the newly formed Corporate Research Forum which will provide a central repository of research results and statistical information to aid decision making and will enable a cross-organisational perspective on consultation exercises.

Paddy Hillary / Karen Mann

Ongoing

CMT have identified options for addressing the shortage of corporate resources to manage information / research. The Corporate Research Forum has identified a broad outline for a corporate strategy in relation to managing information.

In order to use performance management more effectively to drive continuous improvement, the council should:

Develop further output and outcome measures, and report these regularly to committee for monitoring against targets;

Ensure that corporate and service reviews are clearly outcome focussed;

Use performance indicators more proactively both corporately and at service level to drive improvements in performance;

Ensure that targets for improvement are robust and stretching.

13. The revised Corporate Strategy contains local performance measures.

Paddy Hillary

Achieved

As reported in September 2003.

14. Plans to collate and develop improvement plans for the outcomes identified in the Hampshire Improvement Programme will deliver local PIs to measure their success.

Jenny Heath

Achieved

June 2004

The Corporate Strategy and service plans include the outcomes identified in the Hampshire Improvement Programme(HIP). The HIP will no longer be reported on separately but as part of the corporate strategy and service planning monitoring and reporting process which includes

local PIs.

15. A comprehensive timetable for reporting performance information is being developed.

Jenny Heath

October 2004

Half year reporting is being introduced in October 2004 which integrates the reporting of performance information with finance and workforce planning. A wash up session will take place in December in order to improve/refine the process for the end of year reporting in May/June 2005.

16. The templates for improvement plans ensure attention is paid to specifying objectives in outcome terms.

Facilitation of reviews is developing competence in this area, supported by the Hampshire Learning Centre's core development programme.

Jenny Heath / Chris Locke

Ongoing

A top level review of the approach to the review programme has begun with basic principles being agreed at the Corporate Performance Steering Group in September. A report is planned to Cabinet by the end of the year. Tony Beirne, Audit Commission, will carry out a light touch appraisal of the Council's review programme as part of the performance audit.

17. CMT have taken action to ensure improved data collection and ownership of results.

Jenny Heath

Regular reports on PI results have been taken to CMT and the number of reserved PIs has reduced significantly.

Half year performance reporting has generated further interest and commitment via both Departmental Management Teams and CMT.

18. The timetable for reporting performance information will link into the process for making decisions about corporate and departmental priorities and plans.

Jenny Heath / Paddy Hillary

Ongoing

Via the Integrated Planning with Budgeting project, revising the Corporate Strategy targets and corporate performance monitoring and reporting processes. The integrated performance management framework provides the overarching linkages.

19. Development of local PIs within the Corporate Strategy and the Hampshire Improvement Programme will build on the approach to developing stretching targets which began with the LPSA.

Paddy Hillary / Jenny Heath

Achieved

Via the revision of the Corporate Strategy targets.

In order to improve evidence-based policy development and prioritisation, the council should:

Make more use of formal political scrutiny to explore alternatives to existing policies and strategies.

20. Use Health Scrutiny arrangements to identify good practice

Denise Holden

A report on the first year of health scrutiny has been presented to the Health Review Committee.

21. Set up event with Policy Review Committee (PRC) Chairmen to review current arrangements and mechanisms to differentiate scrutiny, Best Value and Policy Development:

· Consider how to develop member skills in scrutiny

· Consider officer facilitation needed at scrutiny meetings and need to develop appropriate competence

David Hinxman

Ongoing

On 20 May 2004 the County Council approved proposals for modifying and strengthening arrangements for scrutiny by enhancing the role of the Policy and Resources PRC. The PRC has been re-named the Policy and Resources Scrutiny and Select Committee. It will become the County Council's corporate vehicle for undertaking scrutiny along the lines of the Parliamentary Select Committee model.

An initial programme of reviews is in place A lead officer appointment has been made to assist the Committee to deliver its review programme and developing scrutiny expertise will be taken into account as part of the County Council's member training and development programme.

In addition to its existing operations, the remit of the Committee has been extended so as to focus more strategically across all areas of council activity including external relationships and their impact on the Council's work and in the community, and particularly the examination of cross-cutting issues.

An event for political group leaders, PRC chairmen and vice chairmen and other leading members was held in July 2004 to review operation of current arrangements