Meeting documents

Date

October 2006

Reporting Area

Public Service Agreement

Lead Director

Dave Thompson

Theme

Performance Measure

Baseline

Performance

@ 31/03/02

Expected

Performance

@ 31/03/06

without PSA

PSA Stretch Target

2005-6

05/06

Actual

Status against the PSA Stretch

%age / £ Achieved

1. Improving cost-effectiveness

Cost-effectiveness index

100

106

110

130

Green

100%

£298,163

2. Increasing Bus Usage

Number of bus journeys (cumulative 2 years)

18.36m

18.83m

18.955m

20.1m

Green

100%

£268,347

1.

Percentage of population satisfied with public transport information

34%

40%

55%

49%

Amber

60%

£17,890

3. Improving quality of life and independence of older people

Households receiving intensive home care per 1,000 population aged 65 or over

4.1

6

8.5

6.5

Red

0

1.

Number of people aged 65+ who receive 5 or more hours of home care over a minimum of 6 visits a week for a period of four or more continuous weeks

444

486

550

518

Red

0

1.

Number of people aged 65+ receiving a direct payment

3

12

26

19

Red

0

1.

Admissions of supported residents aged 65+ per 10,000 to residential / nursing care

96.2

94

92

86

Green

100%

£29,816

4. Improving pupil attendance in secondary schools

Percentage of half days missed due to absence in secondary schools

8.1%

7.3%

7.1%

7.98%

Red

0

1.

Percentage of half days missed due to unauthorised absence in secondary schools

1.1%

0.8%

0.7%

1%

Red

0

5. Improving educational attainment for young people leaving care

No of young children leaving care aged 16+ obtaining 5 or more GCSEs at grades A*-C (cumulative 2004/5 and 2005/6)

0

2

4

(04-06)

2

(04-06)

Red

0

1.

Percentage of Children Looked After engaged in education, training or employment at 19

30%

60%

75%

63%

Red

0

1.

Number of young people leaving care aged 16 or over with at least 1 GCSE at grade A* - G or a GNVQ (cumulative 2004/5 and 2005/6)

6

12

16

(04-06)

18

(04-06)

Green

100%

£74,541

6. Reducing vehicle crime

Theft of, or theft from, vehicles

3,766

2,655

2,520

1,704

Green

100

£298,163

7. Improving the Local Environment

Percentage of trade waste (including rubble) which is recycled

0.56%

0.56%

3%

7.73%

Green

100%

£119,265

1.

Percentage of household waste at Household Waste and Recycling Centres which is recycled

33.21%

33.75%

38%

48.7%

Green

100%

£89,449

1.

Percentage of graffiti cleared from public buildings within 2 days of reporting

30%

50%

95%

100%

Green

100%

£59,633

1.

Visitor survey score for availability of public toilets

3.03

3.03

3.37

2.80

Red

0

1.

Visitor survey score for cleanliness of public toilets

3.53

3.53

3.70

3.32

Red

0

8. Reducing the incidence of accidental fire-related deaths / injuries in the home

No of deaths and injuries arising from accidental fire in dwellings per 100,000 population (mean over 2 years)

17.4

13.9

13.1

7.3

Green

100%

£298,163

9. Improving access to sustained employment to people with disabilities

No of disabled people helped by the Council into sustained employment of at least 16 hours per week lasting at least 13 weeks

7

23

93

62

Red

0

1.

No of disabled people entering into voluntary work of 8 hours or more lasting for 13 weeks or more

6

20

88

24

Red

0

1.

No of employers who hold the `Positive about disabled people' award given by Job Centre Plus

7

13

19

1

Red

0

10. Improving health through sport and leisure

Number of visits to sports centres to participate in physical activity (millions)

1.048m

1.05m

1.150m

1.212m

Green

100

£223,622

1.

No of people attending sports centres, not with a club or school group, to participate in a physical activity twice a week or more

2,625

3,281

4,357

3,462

Red

0

11. Reducing stays in B&Bs for homeless people

No of families with dependent children or with a pregnant member in B&B accommodation for 4 weeks or more

13

8

0

5

Red

0

1.

Total household nights spent in B&B accommodation

12,295

8,600

7,377

3,835

Green

100%

£149,082

1.

Percentage of homelessness applications decisions notified within 33 days

74%

85%

95%

96.7%

Green

100%

£59,633

12. Improving library services

Number of physical visits to public libraries

799,734

840,281

875,281

884,408

Green

100%

£99,388

Percentage of residents satisfied with libraries

64%

75%

80%

74%

Red

0

No of books and spoken word items issued

972,842

1,002,026

1,035,026

874,108

Red

0

1. Cost-effectiveness

Benefit of reaching the PSA stretch target:

Increasing an 93index of cost effectiveness94 which is intended to show our performance improvement in relation to cost. Further details on the 34 indicators used to calculate the 93index94 score are available on request.

Issues and Actions

The updated figures show that we remain well ahead of target.

2. Increasing bus usage / public satisfaction with transport information

Benefit of reaching the PSA stretch target:

· An additional 125,000 bus journeys (over the last 2 years of the PSA)

· Increase in satisfaction with public transport information (DETR survey 2000 was 34%)

Issues and Actions

Actions undertaken to improve `satisfaction with public transport information' have included:

90,000 copies of the new 2006/07 Public Transport Maps have been produced and distributed to every B&NES residential address

Timetable leaflets for supported bus services have been redesigned to conform to best practice. The range of leaflets covers virtually all services that we support financially.

- Website information is now updated monthly and when major changes occur.

- Most roadside timetable information displays are now in a full-colour enhanced format.

- All roadside timetables are now laminated before being put out in the displays to stop fading and water damage.

Redesigned stickers incorporating the Traveline logo and contact details have been produced to go on bus stop flags and are being installed progressively.

- Three bus stops have been equipped with experimental solar panels to illuminate the timetable displays.

Actions undertaken to increase bus usage:

- A programme of quarterly bus punctuality surveys has been set up and discussions are under way to set up a Bus Punctuality Improvement Partnership with First.

- First have replaced virtually all their buses in Bath with new low-floor vehicles.

- New low-floor buses have been ordered for the Bath Park & Ride services. Delivery is expected in August 2006.

- A joint ticket promotion was carried out in Bath in partnership with First. A follow up exercise is currently being planned.

- Information on bus services `normally operated by low-floor vehicles' has been added to Traveline. Fares information is being added progressively and should be available to enquirers later this year.

3. Older people's quality of life and independence

Benefit of reaching the PSA stretch target:

2.5 more households (per 1,000 population over 65) receiving intensive home care

64 more people over 65 receiving 5 or more hours of home care (6 visits per week minimum) for 4 or more continuous weeks during the year

An additional 14 people aged 65 or over receiving a Direct Payment to spend directly on the service they want

2 fewer supported admissions of older people to permanent residential/nursing care per 1,000 population aged 65 or over

Issues and Actions to be taken

Despite promising improvements in the number of households receiving intensive home care during the early stages of LPSA program it has not been possible to achieve the ambitious stretch target. It should be noted that a substantial number of older people in the Bath & North East Somerset area are able to purchase their own services, while others are willingly provided for by carers with relatively small levels of support from the Council.

Although the LPSA target has not been achieved, we have seen an increase of 74 people receiving a substantial amount of home care assistance. This improvement has been achieved at a time when changes to the eligibility criteria used when assessing potential clients has impacted on the overall number of people receiving home care.

While there has been an encouraging increase in the number of Older People to take up the option of Direct Payments, there is still an understandable reluctance for older clients to take on the burden of managing their own care, with the responsibility of directly employing staff. We are now one of 13 pilot sites (nationally) for `Individualised Budgets' a new and more flexible was of self directed care which should prove more attractive to individuals.

We are delighted to have exceeded the target for the admissions of supported residents aged 65+ per 10,000 to residential/nursing care. This is the result of careful management along with a number of new interventions, such as the provision of extra care places, which help older people to remain living independently within the community.

4. Improving secondary school attendance

Benefit of reaching the PSA target:

· 0.2% fewer half days missed due to authorised absence

· 0.1% half days missed due to unauthorised absence

Issues and Actions

The provisional secondary school absence rate for 2005/06 is 7.98%. This is higher by 0.4% than the 2004/05 return. Within this figure, the unauthorised absence rate is 1%, a rise of 0.04%.

There has been a rise in the number of authorised absences from school during the academic year 2005/06. Analysis shows that a large number of schools experienced two to three weeks of high levels of pupil sickness during terms 2 and 3 (although term 3 particularly). Average absence through sickness was 5.5%. Taking into account the high sickness levels in term 3, the adjusted figure is 4.63%. Using these figures the overall absence rate for 2005/06 would have been 7.11%; just 0.01% outside the PSA target of 7.1%.

A rise in unauthorised absence at both local and national level, due to increased rigour in the marking of registers, fewer absences authorised for the purpose of family holidays in tern time and an increase in the number of LEA prosecutions (for which unauthorised absence is a pre-requisite).

The addition of Penalty Notices to the range of strategies available for tackling poor school attendance has led to a rise in the number of cases in which some form of legal action is taken to secure good attendance. Training in the prosecution process has been provided to staff from the Education Welfare Service and Legal Services.

There has been further development of the authority's Education Management System which has allowed for improved data collection and analysis.

5. Young people leaving care - education and employment

Benefit of reaching the PSA target:

· 2 additional care leavers obtaining 5 or more GCSEs at A*-C

· An additional 15% of looked after children still in education, training or employment at 19

· 4 additional care leavers with at least 1 GCSE at A*-G or a GNVQ

Issues and Actions

Mainstream budget identified to continue work of education coordinator, catch-up tuition and provision of PC's for looked after children (LAC) when LPSA funding ended in March 2006 and additional funding earmarked to target support when LAC out of school for any reason

Significant improvements achieved in Pathway Planning for care leavers including education section of plans

significant improvement in EET rate at 19 achieved through improved pathway planning and joint work with Connexions, although stretch not achieved - maintain stretch target for this year and coming years

teenagers to work (work experience for LAC) targeted on care leavers to further improve EET rate at 19 - a range of good placements offered by other council services

the focus on educational attainment and EET rate for care leavers has helped to improve performance despite a difficult cohort (11 out of 41 care leavers April 2004 - March 2006 left from residential establishments which were needed due to severe learning difficulties or emotional/behavioural difficulties - a higher than usual level)

the LPSA targets and funding have raised the profile and reinforced the importance of joint work between Education, Social Services & Connexions targeting this group of young people, overseen through the Education of LAC steering group - further integration now promoted through Children Act 2004 and establishment of integrated Children's Services

6. Reducing vehicle crime

Benefit of reaching the PSA target:

· 135 fewer vehicle crimes

Issues and Actions

· CCTV is in full working order in Newbridge Park and Ride.

· The CCTV in Lansdown Park and Ride has been fully commissioned.

· Car crime is still at low levels in car parks.

· Schools have been invited to produce A3 posters for a competition to increase crime prevention awareness.

7. Improving our local environment

Benefit of reaching the PSA target:

· Increasing the trade waste recycling rate from 0.56% to 3%

· Increasing the recycling rate at Household Waste and Recycling Centres to 38%

· Ensuring 95% of graffiti is cleared from public buildings within 2 days of reporting

· Improving visitor score for availability of public conveniences to 3.37 out of 5

· Improving visitor score for cleanliness of public conveniences to 3.70 out of 5

Issues and Actions

· Review of trade waste collection function has been undertaken and new working practices have been introduced until the completion of the market-test process in 2007. Differential charging was introduced at the transfer stations to financially incentivise traders to recycle in November 2005.

Provisional (pre-audit) 2005/06 recycling rate of 36.9% - strategy target of 36% exceeded.

Recycling Centre waste throughput for last year was down by 23% on 04/05 - impact of permit schemes & limits and Recycling Advisors being realised. Tonnage for domestic waste disposed to landfill for last year was down by 15% (a decrease of almost 8,900 tonnes).

· Future resource and funding plans developed for Graffiti removal operations. Anti-graffiti coating has been applied in areas of high abuse to help keep this standard up in the future.

· Automatic Public Conveniences introduced at Charlotte Street and Shaftesbury Road in June 2005 and receiving high usage. A comprehensive 14 point Public Convenience Improvement Strategy in progress. Proposals for facilities at rear of Guildhall Provision Market in development with Executive Member.

· Bath Tourism visitor survey to take place in summer 2006 to provide measurements against targets, as approved by ODPM.

· Proposals have been developed for public realm improvements in Walcot Street and for a `legibility' initiative across the City to improve the provision of pedestrian orientation and interpretation information. It has now received Executive Member approval and the work is being taken forward by a cross Service project team. Consultant interviews are now being undertaken.

8. Reducing fire-related deaths and injuries in the home

Benefit of reaching the PSA target:

· Reducing deaths and injuries in accidental domestic fires to 13.1 per 100,000

Issues and Actions

· Secondment of fire safety officer to the Housing Standards team within Housing & Supported Living is in place and working well.

· 93Chip-pan amnesty94. This scheme has resulted in chip pans, a significant factor in many house fires, being replaced with safer thermostatically controlled deep fat fryers - this is an ongoing exercise with about 54 deep fat fryers being given to vulnerable households.

· Spot testing of second hand furniture sold at retail outlets has been completed. Results are now being implemented upon.

· Publicise issues - this is ongoing. The Chip Pan Demonstration Unit will be visiting other areas within Bath and North East Somerset including Radstock and Keynsham. It is anticipated this will encourage further chip pans to be surrendered. Over 20 group talks have already been conducted and further talks are planned over the winter. A bus advertising campaign, backed up with posters displayed in GP surgeries and sport centres etc has been organised. The campaign will start in November and is the next phase of the campaign to promote working smoke alarms in the home. The start of this campaign was launched by an article in the Council News which also helped emphasise our partnership with Avon Fire and Rescue.

· The spend of pump-priming funds is currently below expectations because landlords have been slow to take up the offer of a sprinkler system.

9. Improving disabled access to sustained employment

Benefit of reaching the PSA target:

· 70 more disabled people helped into sustained employment

· 68 more disabled people helped into voluntary work

· 6 additional employers holding the Positive About Disabled People Award

Issues and Actions

·      Project established to manage and develop this activity has now ceased

Additional output has been achieved by attempting to calculate cross corporate achievement

10. Improving health through sport and leisure

.

Benefit of reaching the PSA target:

· 100,000 more users at sports centres

1,099 more people attending sports centres for an activity twice a week or more (exc. clubs and schools)

Issues and Actions

· The new gym in Bath continues to generate increasing users; investments into new gyms at Keynsham and South Wansdyke Sports centres were delayed, pending development reports, and did therefore not have the anticipated effect on the PSA targets.

· PSA pump priming money funded the Passport to Health scheme (GP referral) jointly with the PCT. This commenced in October in Bath and in April in South Wansdyke. This scheme is generating an additional l approximate 3,000 visits per year to centres

· £20k of PSA funding was granted to Aquaterra towards a new youth / alternative gym at Bath Sports and Leisure Centre. Unfortunately there was a delay in opening and it will now not be open until the autumn.

· A number of small promotional projects and health and social inclusion projects were funded through the PSA pump priming.

· The results of this PSA target (and therefore the spend of the pump priming money) has been difficult to manage as a 3^rd party (Aquaterra) are responsible for managing the Council's Leisure Centres and for maximising attendances.

· All remaining pump priming money was allocate towards the deficit at Chew Valley Sports Centre.

· The first target was achieved largely through the new and improved gym at Bath Sports and Leisure Centre.

· The second target was not achieved. Although significant improvements were made in this area it is felt that the target itself was unrealistic and the method prescribed for measuring was in accurate

11. Better alternatives to bed and breakfast for homeless people

Benefit of reaching the PSA target:

· No families in B & B for more than 4 weeks

· 1,223 fewer total 93household nights94 in Bed and Breakfast

· 95% of decisions on homelessness applications within 33 working days

Issues and Actions

Mediation service available for households threatened with homelessness.

Development of a Homefinder scheme is progressing well and is expected to be in place soon. A series of pilots have been undertaken to test the scheme before its launch.

Spend to save policy is currently in final stages of development and is currently being `tested'.

Implemented operational improvements in line with ODPM B&B task group guidance, such as credit referencing and increased use of home visits.

The spend of budgeted pump-priming funds is below expectation due to the delay in appointing staff and a need to concentrate on the effective use of existing resources prior to commissioning additional services.

12. Improving library popularity and encouraging reading

Benefit of reaching the PSA target:

· 35,000 more visits to public libraries

· 5% more residents satisfied with public libraries

· 33,000 more books and spoken word items issued

Issues and Actions

Total Issues over the three year period averaged 874,108 .The method of accessing information in libraries has shifted markedly over this time because of technology. The use of free internet computers has been very successful in the libraries reflecting this. In addition customers can now access some library information sources including newspapers on line from their own PCs without visiting the library at all. This has impacted issue figures of traditional books and materials.

The 4 library refurbishments one of which being Bath Central - our largest lending library - which was closed for 3 months in 2005 impacted issue figures further when visitor figures dropped by half. The refurbishments have subsequently increased visitor numbers but closure impacted borrowing figures and has helped improve customer satisfaction.

Nationally there is a steep downward trend in library issues, and in that context, the library issue figures and the increase in active borrowers is good against other authorities.

Visitor numbers to the library follow seasonal patterns. Over the period visitor numbers averaged 884,408. Initiatives like the summer reading challenge for children and the library loyalty card scheme have attracted visitors. The level of active borrowers is increasing and is currently 41613. In 05/06 13887 new members were recruited. Many of these are joining to use computer facilities rather than traditional lending services.

We have improved overall marketing activity e.g. the loyalty card, branding of the service, proactive use of press releases, events and activities, better use of the web site.

Customer satisfaction with the library has not been measured via the 3 yearly ODMP survey during this period. The latest satisfaction indicator was the residents' survey result in November 05 with a score of 74%. This is not enough to qualify for an award but is a marked improvement on the original base line score of 64%.