Agenda item

Report of the Chief Executive

Councillor Duggins, Cabinet Member for Policy and Leadership, has been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item  

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive concerning Council Plan 2017/18 End of Year Performance Report which covered the progress made towards the Plan during the period April 2017 to March 2018. A copy of the performance report was set out at an appendix to the report. The report was due to be considered by Cabinet at their meeting on 30^th October, 2018. A Members seminar to discuss the performance report had already taken place. Councillor Duggins, Cabinet Member for Policy and Leadership attended the meeting to introduce the item.

Consideration of the report allowed Members the opportunity to identify any areas that required additional scrutiny.

The Council Plan was the Council’s corporate plan which set out the Council’s vision and priorities for the city. The current plan was last reviewed in July 2016.

This year, the Plan had been reviewed and rebranded in line with the Council’s emerging One Coventry approach which was intended to lead to servicers and teams across the Council working smarter and in a more joined-up way.

As part of the vision the Council sought to promote the growth of a sustainable economy, was committed to reform so that everybody, including the most vulnerable residents, could share in the benefits of the city’s growth, underpinned by a Council that was enabling communities to solve local problems, at a time of reducing resource.

The report used indicators, contextual information and comparative information to describe and explain how the Council and the city’s performance compared to previous years and to other places. Of the 67 headline indicators, 42 indicators improved or stayed the same, 17 indicators got worse, 1 indicator couldn’t say since it was updated every other year and targets were not applicable for the remaining 7. Further information was included in a second appendix to the report.  Members noted that this progress had been made in the context of a sustained reduction in overall resources, with the Council receiving £107m less core government grant in 2017/18 than the equivalent figure received in 2010/11.

The report also set out how the Council was addressing inequalities. Appendix 3 to the report set out the Council’s performance management framework which detailed how the Council planned and organised its resources to achieve its vision and priorities. 

Councillor Duggins, Cabinet Member drew attention to the homeless strategy which was a key priority for the Council and the likelihood of additional performance indicators in this area. There was also likely to be a refresh of the tourism indicators.

Members questioned the officer on a number of issues and responses were provided, matters raised included:

·  The importance of the document for providing local residents with an understanding of the work being undertaken by the Council

·  Clarification about the figures for life expectancy and a concern about significant local variations

·  Support for the improvements that had been introduced to increase the number of foster parents in the city

·  A request for further information on smoking cessation for mothers post birth

RESOLVED that:

(1) The Council’s performance, as set out in the performance report, be noted.

(2) ‘One Coventry’, the rebranded Council Plan, and the Council’s revised performance management approach be noted.

(3) The Chairs of the Scrutiny Boards to give further consideration to the table of indicators relevant to the work of their Boards, with update reports being submitted to future meetings, if appropriate.

(4) Additional information be circulated to members on the smoking statistics, in particular the monitoring of mothers post birth.