Agenda item

Kevin Gordon, Assistant Director (AD), Professional Services, introduced a report setting out the Council’s overall performance covering the period up to and including November, 2011. 

Gold Projects

The AD summarised the position regarding the Council’s Ten Gold projects. It was highlighted that 7 of the projects had been assessed as having an overall green status, and 3 had an amber status.  None of the projects had been assessed as having a red status.

The AD responded to a number of Member questions including those relating to the delivery of the personalisation project where Members questioned the support available and the continuity of care.  The Committee was advised that the project and its scope had been enlarged.  The AD advised that an update on the figures would be provided in the next gold project report.

In regard to the Family Placement Service, a Member noted that a number of agency staff had been recruited and ask whether these would eventually be replaced by full time staff.  The AD advised that it had been essential to recruit  staff Members as soon as possible because the project was time limited. It was agreed however that a full response to this question would be circulated to Members.  Members asked a number of further questions regarding the new public health transition programme and how funds would be clawed back.  Members were advised that the final position would not be known until the end of February. 

In response to questions regarding the Safeguarding Improvement Board, the AD advised that the report contained within the agenda was created early in December and a number of issues were still in the process of being sorted.  The Committee was advised that a meeting of the Improvement Board had been held in the previous week and there was still a lot of work to be carried out over the ensuing 12 months.  Members were advised that the Director of Education and Children’s Services (ECS) would bring an update report to the ECS Scrutiny Panel.  Members also queried the position regarding school places in Slough and were advised that the ECS Panel had considered this issue in detail and details of the findings would be provided for Committee Members.  In response to the question as to whether more schools could be provided in popular catchment areas,  where a preference had been made for a school place, the Chief Executive advised that it would be very difficult to always meet a particular preference.  It was agreed that the Council’s policy regarding the issue of choice of school place be circulated to Committee Members.

Performance Update

The AD summarised the update on the Council’s performance indicators at 30^th November, 2011, with reference to key people, key volume, and key quality measures.  The Committee also noted the detail of the key inspection results and outcome measures.

The AD referred Members to the statistics regarding the use of temporary staff and highlighted that the figures in the report were the ‘median average’.  The AD advised that overall the picture regarding the use of temporary staff was improving.  In the ensuing debate Members questioned whether agencies received a substantial mark up and the AD advised that measures were in place to review and improve this.  A Member suggested that this area had not been explored and should be reviewed by the Employment and Appeals Committee or the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  It was agreed that this subject would be considered by the Employment and Appeals Committee at its next meeting and that the outcome of this would be reported to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee was referred to a tabled document which set out a summary analysis of appraisals held in the year to 16^th January, 2012.  It was highlighted that figures for the Resources and Regeneration directorate were not available due to data cleansing issues.  The Committee noted that the current percentage of staff who had received an appraisal in the 12 months to 16^th January, 2012 was 58.2% and this compared favourably to the position in the 12 months proceeding the 26^th October, 2011 report when the percentage was 33.8%.  The AD suggested and it was agreed that an update on the appraisal and other workforce data including vacancies and use of temporary staff to be provided within the performance report on a quarterly basis.

In the ensuing debate a Member asked whether the figures for appraisals included those carried out for temporary staff Members.  The AD confirmed that the figures produced by Human Resources did not apply to temporary staff but it was expected that their managers were taking the necessary steps to appraise these individuals.  It was agreed that a report on this matter be considered at the next meeting of the Committee.  Members were reassured that temporary staff would have a meeting with a senior staff Member to discuss their performance and it was highlighted that whenever performance was not satisfactory that the contract of employment could be brought to an end very quickly. It was agreed that a detailed report on the appraisal system for temporary staff including sessional staff be considered by the Committee at its next meeting.

Financial Reporting

Emma Foy, Interim Head of Central Finance, outlined a finance report and advised that the Council’s net revenue budget for 2011/12 was £105.1m and the Housing Services agreed net operating budget for this period was a surplus of £87k.  The current forecast under spend for the 2011/12 general fund at the end of period 8 was £1.323m being a net reduction in expenditure of £968k since the previous month.  There was currently a forecast under spend of £116k for the Housing Revenue account.  The Committee noted the month on month movement in variances within each directorate and the Members were referred to the urgent issues and risks in the relevant period.  The Officer also discussed emerging opportunities, staffing budgets and the capital monitoring position.

Members asked a number of questions in the ensuing debate regarding the situation should more schools become academies and the taking on of school finance staff by Arvato.  The Committee also discussed the possibility that the local government grant could be cut in future and the future position regarding calculations being attributable to local business rates.

Resolved -  That the report be noted.