Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The Mid-Year Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (PPRR) for the Reform and Governance Portfolio is presented for consideration by the Committee. This provides a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects in the first half of the year, with a particular focus on the second quarter (July to September). It includes forecast performance and financial data (where this is available) for the Portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The report is based on the 2018/19 Portfolio Performance and Resource Agreement (PPRA) which was considered by the Committee on 3 July and approved by Cabinet on 17 July 2018.

In order to ensure the timeliness of the report, it is considered by Scrutiny Committee ahead of the Corporate Report (CPRR) and Leader’s Report being approved at the Cabinet Meeting.  This will also allow any significant changes or issues raised to be fed back alongside these reports at the Cabinet Meeting on 13 November. 

Where significant activity or decisions have been made since the end of the second quarter, these have been included to ensure that the report remains timely. These will also be referenced within the Third Update Report.

Scrutiny Committee is asked to:

·         Consider the Mid-Year Portfolio Performance and Resource Report;  

·         Review the progress against delivering key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 2018/19;

·         Highlight key areas of and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any performance or resource issues;

·         Highlight any significant issues or changes to be fed back to the Cabinet alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report;

·         Identify how areas of strong performance and good practice can be shared in other services.

Officer contact: Peter Owston / Susan Wood, 0161 474 3274 / 218 1032, peter.owston@stockport.gov.uk / susan.wood@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Reform & Governance submitted a the Mid-Year Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (copies of which had been circulated) providing a summary of progress in delivering the Reform and Governance portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects in the first half of the year, with a particular focus on the second quarter (July to September). It included forecast performance and financial data (where this is available) for the Portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:

·         Confirmation was sought on the cost of the launch of the Council Values and Behaviours Framework. In response it was stated that the cost was met from within existing resources but was within the region of £1000.

·         Details of the turnover rate of staff at the Contact Centre was requested.

·         Confirmation was sought on whether the £1m Digital by Design savings were on track to be achieved. In response it was stated that the 2 year programme was on target to achieve its target in 2020. It was further commented that the phraseology ‘well on the way’ to describe target delivery was unhelpful and a cash value would be more useful.

·         Given the statements about the high quality service in relation to the existing support service the Council provided for Universal Credit support, clarification was sought on what made it high quality and whether the new provider would not be able to provide a similar service. In response it was stated that the Council had quickly sought to establish support mechanisms for those moving on to Universal Credit and to learn from the experience of other local authorities to anticipate areas of need and demand locally. The awarding of the contract to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) was unexpected but discussions were underway to implement shadowing arrangements so that the CAB were able to maintain the same level of service, as was their aspiration and the expectation of the Department for Work & Pensions.

·         Concern was expressed that the significant investment in enhancing the digital offer had done little to improve performance at the Contact Centre with nearly 20% of calls not being answered.

·         The improvement in performance against the Freedom of Information request target was welcomed although disappointment was expressed that the statutory duty was not being fully complied with. In response it was stated that the Information Commissioner’s own expectations was that compliance should be 90%, which the Council was well within but that it aspired to fulfil its duties 100% of the time.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Borough Treasurer be requested to provide councillors with further details of staff turnover rates at the Contact Centre.

(3) That the Deputy Chief Executive be requested to, as far as was feasible, differentiate between simple and complex Freedom of Information requests in future performance reports.