Date

9th July 2003

Reporting Area

RESOURCES

Lead Director

Jean Hinks

Progress Made

Issues to be addressed

Who

By When

Leadership

· Financial Plan - Council in February deferred consideration of the Financial Plan until after the Elections

· Service Planning - Review of the planning framework being undertaken

· City Centre Evacuation Guidance - has now been developed for Bath

· Strategic Partnership Project (Paris) - on track for completion by July for August 1^st live date

· Revenues and Benefits Service - are still experiencing some problems, but improving, and backlog back-up service now in place. Call centre response still a major issue.

· HR Strategy - Work has begun on the development of a comprehensive HR strategy as a corporate Improvement Project

· Need to progress the plan asap.

· Need to ensure that service planning remains an integral and informative part of the planning framework & that issues of HR planning are addressed within the process in line with CPA recommendations

· Need to ensure roll out to other major centres in the area. Keynsham planned.

· Major resource pressure to complete on time, and need to ensure success of comprehensive transition plan.

· Need to ensure major improvement to services in the current financial year

· This will be an essential enabler for the Council to meet its long term goals.

RD/HoSRP

HoSRP

EM

RD

HoR&B

CD

Asap

Autumn 2003

Mar 2004

July 2003-

Ongoing

Ongoing

Progress Made

Issues to be addressed

Who

By When

Leadership

· Corporate Plan - an overview strategic plan is being developed to embrace and support the Councils vision, and to ensure integration and co-ordination of service plans.

· Myners Report - Implementation of recommendations regarding governance and responsibilities

· This will require political input and agreement.

· Will require some changes to responsibilities and function of the Pensions Committee

CEx/Directors

RD

Autumn 2003

Autumn 2003

People Management

· Staff Survey (Insight 2002) - A corporate action plan and results published.

· Homeworking - trial project underway in Revenues and Benefits service, supported by IDS.

· Regional Resource Centre - with Bristol City Council & South Gloucestershire being established with DWP funding.

· Recruitment Review -

Successful pilot fair held and cross -service event planned for Autumn 2003

· Organisational & Employee Development Programme 2003/4

Change Management coaches identified and training commenced

Change management training for managers underway

Annual performance review process underway

· Implementation will need to be kept under review

· HoS will need to respond to specific issues arising in their areas

· Results to be incorporated into HR Strategy

· Cost and efficiency benefits will need to be analysed for services in general.

· Will improve information and training within the region and will improve overall service provision. A member of R&B seconded to support set up of the project

· Development of micro-jobs web site and related e-recruitment activity planning underway

· Options to support middle management being appraised

· Change management initiatives across the council will need to be adequately resourced including staff development if they are to be fully effective.

· Performance review process to be reviewed in light of staff survey feedback

All

HoR&B

HoR&B

HHR

HHR

All

HHR

Ongoing

Ongoing

Mar 2004

Dec 2003

Oct 2003

Ongoing

Oct 2003

Progress Made

Issues to be addressed

Who

By When

People Management

· Local Government Pay Council consulted on National Employers initial evidence presented in April 2003 The Commission report should be available by Sept 2003

· Any outcome should increase local flexibility in pay & rewards, be affordable and support the delivery of cost effective services

Cex/HR

Oct 2003

Policy and Strategy

Evaluation of the results to inform further developments

Need to progress rationalisation as short and medium term plan.

Need to ensure all planned office moves can be implemented within budget.

Need to fully Integrate the risk management strategy into the planning processes

CD

HoPALS

DoSHS

CIA

Oct 2003

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing

Progress Made

Issues to be addressed

Who

By When

Policy and Strategy

Strengthens the role of the group to support financial planning

RD

HSRP

HSRP

CD

Ongoing

Aut 2003

Ongoing

By 30^th Sept

Resources

· Budget - 2003/4 Budget agreed in Feb, and all CTax demands out on time. Necessary staffing measures well in hand

· FMS Project - major project nearing completion. Final stages proving problematic, and heavily resource intensive to complete on time.

· Need to ensure tight monitoring of financial position as resources are tight

· Need to establish clear transition plan, and development programme in order to ensure the benefits from the new system are delivered.

All

HSRP

Ongoing

July 2003

Resources

· Outturn - Final year end position close to expectation

· Current Pressures - Despite early days, several issues are already emerging which will add strain to this year's budget position.

· Bath Special schools - £4.9m awarded for delivery of new Special schools in Bath, in addition to major capital investment won for Radstock secondary school re provision

· Energy Management - study into procurement options underway

· Final position overspent on estimate earmarked in the budget.

· Low level of balances will mean for tight monitoring by Directors Group.

Major project needed to deliver these programmes.

Will need to link into Partnership project

RD

DG

HoLPS

HoLPS

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing

Progress Made

Issues to be addressed

Who

By When

Process

· XP rollout - continues to progress. Most issues now resolved.

· R&B upgrades /EDM -

· Upgrade o personnel & payroll software (expiry of current contract and maintenance agreement upgrade

· Additional functionality enables us to move forward with E-Gov developments

· Transition to I-world to remain compliant and supported

· Migration to web enabled Resource link as part of strategic review

HIDS

HR&B

HHR

Aut 2003

Mar 2004

Apr 2004

Process

· Tax credits - New system went live April 2003, and so far service is achieving expected standards.

· Major resources having to be used to implement the new system, which affects benefit clients.

HR&B

ongoing

Performance Targets

No.

%

RED

AMBER

GREEN

41

100

NOT KNOWN

TOTAL

41

100

Ref.

Indicator

Top 25%

2001/

02

Actual

2002/

03

Actual

2003/4 Target

Status

Comment

BVPI8

Percentage of undisputed invoices which were paid within 30 days

93%

90.7%

90%

90%

Green

BVPI9

Percentage of Council Tax which the authority should have received during the year and did receive in the year, excluding reliefs and rebates

98%

96.8%

96.5%

97.0%

Green

Action has been taken to improve collection rates in 2003/04

BVPI 10

Percentage of business rates which should have been received during the year that was received during the year

99%

99.6%

96.9%

99.0%

Green

Action has been taken to improve collection rates in 2003/04

BVPI 11

Percentage of senior management posts filled by women

32%

28%

26%

Deleted

BVPI

11a

(NEW)

Percentage of top 5% earners who are women

N/A

N/A

33%

33%

Green

New PI for 2003/04

BVPI

11b

(NEW)

Percentage of top 5% of earners from black and minority ethnic communities

N/A

N/A

1.25%

1.5%

Green

New PI for 2003/04

BVPI 12

Number of working days / shifts lost to sickness

8.2 days

9.3 days

8.4

8.2

Green

BVPI 13

Voluntary leavers as a percentage of the total workforce

8.2%

12.9%

12.2%

Deleted

BVPI 14

Early retirement as a percentage of total workforce

0.19%

0.27%

0.27%

0.45%

Green

BVPI 15

Ill-health retirements as a percentage of total workforce

0.27%

0.34%

0.42%

0.35%

Green

BVPI 16

Percentage of staff declaring they are disabled (compared with the % of disabled people in the area)

3.2%

1.5%

1.75%

(10.94%)

2.0% (10.94%)

Green

BVPI 17

Percentage of staff from minority ethnic communities (compared with the minority ethnic community population in the area)

N/A

1.6% (1.4%)

1.92%

(2.85%)

2.0%

(2.85%)

Green

BVPI 76

Has B&NES a written and proactive strategy for combating fraud and error on Benefits?

Yes

Yes

Deleted

Ref.

Indicator

Top 25%

2001/

02

Actual

2002/

03

Actual

2003/4 Target

Status

Comment

BVPI

76a

Number of benefits claimants visited per 1,000 caseload

Not Req

Not Req

Not Req

30

Green

New Indicator for 2003/04

BVPI 76b

Number of benefits fraud investigators employed, per 1,000 caseload

Not Req

Not Req

Not Req

0.18

Green

New Indicator for 2003/04

BVPI 76c

Number of benefits fraud investigations per 1,000 caseload

Not Req

Not Req

Not Req

30

Green

New Indicator for 2003/04

BVPI 76d

Number of benefits prosecutions and sanctions per 1,000 caseload

Not Req

Not Req

Not Req

0.5

Green

New Indicator for 2003/04

BVPI 77

Average cost of handling Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit claim

£47.75

£44.08

NYA

Deleted

BVPI 78a

Average time for processing new Benefit claims (days)

36

39

49

40

Green

Action has been taken to improve performance in 2003/04

BVPI 78b

Average time for processing notifications of changes in Benefits circumstances (days)

9

6

16

9

Green

Action has been taken to improve performance in 2003/04

BVPI 78c

Percentage of renewal Benefits claims processed on time

83%

65%

53%

85%

Green

Action has been taken to improve performance in 2003/04

BVPI 79a

Accuracy of Benefits processing (Percentage accurate on available information)

98%

93%

92%

95%

Green

Action has been taken to improve performance in 2003/04

BVPI 79b

Percentage of recoverable Benefits overpayments (excluding CTB) that were recovered in year

69%

55%

58%

63%

Green

Action has been taken to improve performance in 2003/04

BVPI 80a

Percentage of users satisfied with the benefits service - Contact with the office

N/A

Not Req

Not Req

80%

Green

Measured triennially by survey

BVPI 80b

Percentage of users satisfied with the benefits service - Service in the office

N/A

Not Req

Not Req

90%

Green

Measured triennially by survey

BVPI 80c

Percentage of users satisfied with the benefits service - Telephone service

N/A

Not Req

Not Req

60%

Green

Measured triennially by survey

BVPI 80d

Percentage of users satisfied with the benefits service - Staff in the office

N/A

Not Req

Not Req

85%

Green

Measured triennially by survey

BVPI 80e

Percentage of users satisfied with the benefits service - Forms

N/A

Not Req

Not Req

70%

Green

Measured triennially by survey

BVPI 80f

Percentage of users satisfied with the benefits service - Speed of service

N/A

Not Req

Not Req

80%

Green

Measured triennially by survey

BVPI 80g

User satisfaction with the benefits service - Overall satisfaction

85%

Not Req

Not Req

85%

Green

Measured triennially by survey

Ref.

Indicator

Top 25%

2001/

02

Actual

2002/

03

Actual

2003/4 Target

Status

Comment

Local

Percentage (by value) of Council Tax accounts paid by direct debit

NA

New Indicator

65%

68%

Green

Local

Percentage (by value) of Business Rates accounts paid by direct debit

NA

New Indicator

48%

48%

Green

Local

Manage effectively the Council's Capital Programme to support delivery of the Council's service priorities and strategic targets so that actual spending in any financial year is at least 90% of planned spending (excluding funds controlled by schools)

NA

95.8%

85%

90%

Green

Local

EQUALITIES INDICATORS BY SERVICE

Ref.

Indicator

Top 25%

2001/

02

Actual

2002/

03

Actual

2003/4 Target

Status

Comment

Human Resource Service

Black & minority staff (%)

2.67

1.7

1.7

1.7

Green

Disabled staff (%)

2.7

1.7

1.7

1.7

Green

Strategic Resources Planning/ Business Services

Black & minority staff (%)

2.67

3.0

3.0

3.0

Green

Disabled staff (%)

2.7

2.3

2.3

2.3

Green

Emergency Management Service

Black & minority staff (%)

2.67

0

0

0.5

Green

Disabled staff (%)

2.7

0

0

0.5

Green

Revenues & Benefits Service

Black & minority staff (%)

2.67

0

0

0.5

Green

Disabled staff (%)

2.7

1.2

1.2

0.7

Green

Information Development Service

Black & minority staff (%)

2.67

4.3

6.5

6.5

Green

Disabled staff (%)

2.7

4.3

4.3

4.8

Green

Property & Legal Service

Black & minority staff (%)

2.67

2.8

2.8

2.8

Green

Disabled staff (%)

2.7

0

0

0.5

Green