Archived decisions

APPENDIX C

May 2007 Corporate Assessment Improvement Plan

Recommendations

Actions

Lead officer

Target date

Progress - July 2007

The Council should review and update its relationship with the voluntary sector across its services, including the operation of the compact. In particular it should help to develop the capacity and capability of the sector.

(Para: 14 - see also para 12 & 64)

HCC will work with the voluntary sector to scope and carry out a review of how we work together.

Proposed milestones:

September/October

    · Open initial discussions with sector via CAH and Hampshire Voluntary Sector Consortium on Hampshire Senate and review of HCC's relationship with sector

October/November

    · Agree terms of reference for review between HCC and sector

    · Scope review and develop project plan in collaboration with sector representatives

November/December/January

    · Conduct review

February/March

    · Report on review

    · Seek agreement to and implementation of recommendations.

Paddy Hillary

March 08

    Consultation on Senate proposals undertaken Jan 08

    Review completed and report to CMT March 08 with action plan for future work and report to Leader September 08

    RAG status = Green

The Council needs to strengthen further the strategic role of the HR function. (Para: 15 - see also para 11 & 61)

    · Draw up and implement an action plan to improve the HR service and develop a stronger strategic role

    · Develop and implement an Org Dev Strategy

    · HR integration into the CX Dept should seek to maximise/develop its strategic role and influence

Gavin Wright

  

· Action plan developed and largely implemented (Status: Amber)

· Key HR priorities agreed and HR strategy currently being written with completion due, July 2008 (Status: Amber)

The Council should improve its capacity to support its top priority of 'Hampshire safer and more secure for all'. At present, the Council does not have sufficient corporate capacity to support the work it will be doing with partners on the countywide CDRP, nor to make sure that its approach to crime and disorder is fully mainstreamed throughout the Council.

(Para: 16 - see also para 13, 87, 95, 97, 98, 100 & 109)

· Develop and implement an action plan (learning from best practice) which translates this priority into core business by addressing the capacity, monitoring and coordination issues, including:

    · Appoint/agree a Community Safety lead to coordinate work across the Council, support/liaise with the countywide CDRP and raise understanding of the specific issues in Hampshire

    · Strengthen compliance with Section 17 - draw in the findings from the Int Audit review

    · Collate regular community safety monitoring reports bringing together activities/contributions across the Council against actual crime figures

    · Consider the potential of extending the `Rights, Respects & Responsibilities' initiative to the wider community

    · Investigate funding sources to pump-prime initiatives

Paddy Hillary

  

    PBR to provide corporate capacity alongside regulatory services and ACSO service. Report prepared for CMT May 08.

    RAG status = Amber





The Council should enhance performance management arrangements for the LAA by establishing baseline data and performance measures across all

indicators.

(Para: 17 - see also para 70, 77 & 78)

· Collect baseline data where missing

· Select FABRIC PIs to cover gaps

· Select SMART targets where missing

Sue Sylvester

Nov 07

All the deleted indicators were removed from the 'old' LAA before half year and year end reporting 2007/08.

The focus for the last few months has been on selecting FABRIC PIs for the new LAA and negotiating SMART targets. This, together with an increased focus on risk and the management of it, should ensure that the performance management of the new LAA is more robust than that of the previous Agreement. RAG Status - Amber

    2007 Annual Audit & Inspection Letter response: Published February 2008

Recommendation

Actions

Lead officer

Target date

Progress

1. Obtain assurances that the Council's workforce and related HR plans adequately provide the capacity needed for the successful management of change.

a. Increase HR strategic and change management capacity.

b. Develop service planning process for HR so that the HR implications of departmental plans are fed directly into the overall HR service plan and this is then underpinned by service level agreements.

c. Develop a programme of strategic HR work for 2008/09.

Gavin Wright

a. Complete

b. Apr 2008

c. Mar 2009

a. During 2007, HR has been restructured to ensure there is greater capacity to support the business in strategic HR activity including the management of change. Strategic Business Partners are now supported by dedicated teams assigned to specific parts of the business. (Status: Amber)

b. Service planning process developed and planning framework in place. HR implications of dept plans identified and incorporated into HR Service Plan 2008/09 (Status: Green)

c. Strategic HR activity for 2008/09 agreed with the Chief Executive which will further develop the organisation's ability to manage change effectively. Key programmes include; development of an Org Dev strategy, leadership development programme, integrated workforce planning and a review of learning and development provision across the Council. (Status: Green)

2. Continue to track the performance of the Council and its partners in improving the outcomes for local people in community safety and support the development of more effective collaborative working in this area.

d. Establish a county co-ordinating group for Crime & Disorder and community safety including performance monitoring.

e. Develop a County Community Safety Agreement and Information sharing protocols based on strategic assessment.

f. Reinforce links to Local Area Agreement priorities and improvement targets.

g. Gain agreement to establish a County Council Community Safety Partnership post working with Regulatory Services to manage co-ordination of County Council services including Section 17.

Paddy Hillary

d. First meeting Oct 2007

e. Apr 2008

f. Mar/Apr 2008

g. Apr 2008 (tbc)

d. County group established Oct 2007

e. CSA and ISP in development for agreement in
June 08

f. Priorities in Local Area Agreement linked to
emerging county agreement

g. See above

RAG status = Amber


3. Ensure that the Council has realistic plans for the achievement of level three of the Standard for Local Government in equality and diversity.

h. Achieve level three by Sept 2008.

i. Complete implementation of revised approach to Equality and Diversity Impact Assessments.

j. Develop a Single Equality Scheme - merging existing equality schemes.

k. LAA priority B - employment strategy for Hampshire commits the Council to improve employment opportunities for disabled people and those furthest from the labour market. Each department to offer work placements.

l. Use the annual staff diversity report to be set stretching targets against staff diversity performance indicators.

h-j. Jane Goodwin

k-l. Gavin Wright

h. Sep 2008

i. Feb 2008

j. Oct 2008

k. Dec 2008

l. Jul 2008

h. Each dept has now concluded a self-assessment of current position. Most depts reported to CPEG that they were confident of achieving and evidencing level three by Sept 2008, Children's Services and Chief Executive's were less confident. Support is now being offered to Children's Services to enable them to meet the Sept target date. Status = Amber

i. Revised Equality and Diversity Impact Assessments have now been launched and are on the web. Green

j. Initial consultation complete and work ongoing. Amber

k. A corporate agreed approach/commitment is required to this action. PBRS has worked on a pilot project which needs to be replicated in other departments. Amber

l. Reports published annually, each DMT expected to discuss and set targets and this is being picked up by individual depts as part of their plans to achieve level3 of the Equalities Assessment Amber

    APPENDIX C (continued):

    May 2007 JAR RECOMMENDATIONS

    1. Ensure that an appropriate way is found to successfully disseminate the findings of this report to children and young people in the area.

    Progress - on target

    The initial JAR report and summary was sent to schools in June 2007. There has been some delay in disseminating the report more widely due to the reorganisation of services for young people. However, a former young person JAR inspector has been contracted to disseminate the report to young people in a range of settings, including the Youth Council, and district youth forums. The report has been uploaded on the Children's Services Website and is available to be disseminated to the voluntary sector, district councils and other providers of children's services.

    2. Develop a partnership action plan for delivering joint commissioning for children's services

    Progress - target date revised

    The joint public health unit is completing work on a children's needs analysis and priorities have been agreed for joint commissioning, By October 2008 a service development and commissioning strategy will be completed for implementation in 2009/10.

    A commissioning co-ordinating unit is being established from 01/04/08. Their initial task will be to establish a systematic method for grant aiding and contracting with all sectors ensuring that the process is compliant with the Hampshire Compact (including the new procurement code), promote the use of longer term contracts and look to identify the wide range of services the voluntary sector and children's services can provide. It is anticipated that it will be completed by 01/09/08.

    In order to enhance the commissioning function for CAMHS, improve consistency in service contracts and have a stronger and unified performance management process, HCC Children's Services and Hampshire PCT have moved to the second phase of the CAMHS Trust, in which it will pool the fund for commissioning all the specialist CAMHS teams, in addition to some identified tier 2 and tier 3 CAMH service funds (see appendix 3).

    3. Review all social work vacancies and ensure that all area teams are adequately staffed.

    Progress - on target

    We have reviewed the allocation of social work resources with County Treasurer's Consultancy and obtained agreement for an additional investment of 600K in 2008/09 in social care services. Following the recommendations of the consultancy report, investment in edge of care services, linked to commissioning strategy for looked after children, allocates additional support services to the North and East and South East. There is a risk associated with volatility in care proceedings, workload, and recruitment problems.

    In the shorter term we have reallocated some work and/or staff across the county to ensure priority needs and statutory requirements are to be met. Unallocated cases from North Area transferred for immediate allocation in Western Area. An action plan is in place to improve the timeliness of initial child protection conferences.

    Recent recruitment drives have been successful and we anticipate that Pay and Benefits arrangements implemented in February 2008 will give advantage to Hampshire County Council in comparative pay scales.

    As we restructure social care teams we will need to ensure that change does not hinder improvements made.

    We are on target to implement the project plan for the reorganisation of social care teams. Options for the new structure have been developed through extensive consultation with staff and further consultation on the implementation of the selected models is underway. Detail on business processes are being worked on to secure implementation plan. Delays to implementation of HantsDirect could impact on project

    4. Ensure that suitable packages of respite care and other support are provided, where possible, for families with children with severe and/or complex needs.

    Progress - on target

    The joint public health unit is completing work on a children's needs analysis and priorities have been agreed for joint commissioning, which include services to disabled children (see recommendation for immediate action 2 above). A three month period of consultation in the context of the Aiming High for Disabled Children project has commenced and a report is scheduled for the Executive Member in May 2008 which will lead to tendering for services commencing in June 2008.

    The 2007 audit of short breaks included a questionnaire for parents, carers and young people. The survey found that 46% respondents receive over 50 nights respite care a year and 18% respondents are not in receipt of respite care. The competed audit report will inform the short breaks strategy.

    5. Review the strategy for identifying and supporting young carers across all services, with a collaborative action plan and performance indicators.

    Progress - on target

    Revision of the strategy is well underway and an eight- week consultation period began in mid March. Work will be commencing within the Children's Services Department to look at developing existing IT systems to provide information relating to young carers.

    6. Improve the accessibility of mainstream leisure opportunities for children and young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities

    Progress - on target

    Funding has been identified by the Recreation and Heritage Department to deliver a three-way partnership agreement with Children's Services and the University of Winchester to research leisure provision and MA student projects will focus on widening opportunities in mainstream settings across the county. A mapping exercise is also underway within some district councils to build on models of good practice. A toolkit has been developed in partnership with KIDS, on participation, using the model developed within Applemore Sports Centre.

    Progress in implementing this recommendation is being monitored through the Disabled Children and Young People's Strategy group. A CAT Mark assessment will be commissioned from the Performance and Resources Branch Participation Team to identify young people's views on the suitability of leisure and recreation services.

    ADULT SERVICES CSCI IMPROVEMENT PLAN LIST

    (PRODUCED MAY 2008)

    1. People with learning disabilities living in NHS accommodation

    2. Telecare

    3. Waiting times for major adaptations

    4. Self referral and Assessment

    5. Single Assessment Process

    6. People with learning disabilities in residential care

    7. Direct Payments

    8. Equalities and Diversity Standards Framework

    9. Carers in Employment

    10. Employment opportunities, including people with Learning Difficulties

    11. Electronic social care record

    12. Joint Health and Social Care Budgets

    13.

    14. Increased engagement/ developing capacity in the Voluntary Sector