Decision details

9.1

The Chief Operating officer submitted a report seeking approval for the refreshed Council Performance & Outcomes Framework 2024-28,as a companion to the new Council Plan, replacing the process and measures put in place to support the 2022/2023 Corporate Delivery Plan.

The Council Plan approval decision requested that officers prepare a new Outcomes Framework to support monitoring of performance against the Council Plan in early 2024.  To allow continued transparency and assurance for Strategy and Resources Policy Committee on performance against the organisation’s priorities through a refreshed set of Outcome Measures that reflect the intent of each priority in the Council Plan.

To ensure that Strategy and Resources Policy Committee can continue to contribute to the Performance System and drive improvement in the organisation. The new Performance Framework provides a system that promotes a culture of performance and delivery, a model for assurance and a golden thread that shows how all levels of the organisation can measurably contribute to the success of the Council Plan.

9.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(a) agrees the Performance & Outcomes Framework as a companion to the new Council Plan, as set out in Appendix 1;

(b) agrees the Outcomes Framework as the way to understand measurable progress against each priority in the Council Plan, as set out in Appendix 2; and

(c) agrees to continue to receive quarterly and annual reports* that provide an overview of performance against the Outcome measures, describing performance challenges, interventions taken, and the results of changes made. Annually review measures in the context of progress. (*It is recognised that given the increased frequency, breadth and ambition of performance reporting.  Future governance reviews may identity a more suitable Committee or sub-committee to consider the quarterly performance reports). 

9.3

Reasons for Decision

9.3.1

The Performance & Outcomes Framework will underpin how we measure progress and monitor impact of the Council Plan. It is aligned to our four-year Medium Term Financial Strategy and the outcomes will increasingly become the focus for our budget, Directorate and Service Plans over the coming year.

9.3.2

The Council has a systematic process and a robust corporate performance management framework to track progress.

9.3.3

Directly responds to the LGA peer review recommendations around performance management and alignment with council strategic priorities.

9.3.4

To ensure that Strategy and Resources Policy Committee contributes to the performance management process and drives improvement across the organisation.

9.3.5

Provides mandate for officers to proceed with implementing the full framework, including baseline and target setting for the selected outcomes measures and development of reporting infrastructure.

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

9.4.1

Do nothing – rejected – as set out in the Strategic Framework 2023/24, we are committed to developing and agreeing a medium-term plan for the council that sets out what we want to achieve for the city in the coming years and how we will contribute to the City Goals. The Council Plan is part of our Policy Framework and a critical step in our continued development as an organisation, connecting the ambitions and priorities of the administration to our Medium-Term Financial Strategy, workforce plans, Council Performance Framework, and Directorate Plans. It also ensures that we deliver on one of the key recommendations of the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge, further demonstrating our strategic development and maturity as an organisation.

9.4.2

Extend the Corporate Delivery Plan performance arrangements – rejected – the Corporate Delivery Plan has provided vital stability and focus for the organisation over the last year, building on the One Year Plan, and bringing clear focus onto a number of key challenges that citizens wanted to see improve. However, the Corporate Delivery Plan was deliberately short term and as recommended by the LGA Peer Team, it is important to bring medium-term focus for the Council so that citizens, staff and partners understand our priorities and ambitions.