Agenda item

To receive and note the Quarter 3 2015-16 performance report containing information on the key areas of performance for the authority.

 Cabinet received a report containing information on the key areas of performance for the authority as at quarter 3.

Richard Fitzgerald, Business Intelligence Manager – Performance, was in attendance to present the item.  He introduced the item for members and in particular referred to the following:

1. That overall performance for the authority was good with most indicators reported as ‘green’; performance on or above target and the net direction of travel was positive.
2. He continued by drawing members attention to the following specific areas of performance:
   1. Customer Services had showed good performance in relation to call answering but website visitor numbers and user satisfaction remained under target.
   2. Growth, Environment and Transport Directorate performance was good, in particular, performance for waste recycling and diversion from landfill targets had been very good.
   3. Education and Young People’s Services had shown performance ahead of target for schools rated ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by ofsted and although the number of NEETs aged 16-18 recorded was higher than desired, the number of young people in apprenticeships had increased and youth unemployment was at an all-time low.
   4. Specialist Children’s Services had shown improved performance in the percentage of case file audits judged to be ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ and positive reductions in caseloads were also recorded.  In addition the number of children who were subject to child protection plans was at its lowest since March 2013.  The numbers of children in need were 3% lower and the local number of children in care 5% lower, than at this time last year but pressure remained from unaccompanied asylum seeking children.
   5. In the Adult Social Care portfolio, the number of ‘promoting independence’ reviews undertaken had increased and an improvement in good outcomes following enablement was also recorded although the enablement throughput remained behind target.  An increase in the number of older people entering residential and nursing care was reported for quarter 3 but the numbers remained within target.  Pressure remained in relation to delayed transfers of care and that was a local and national trend.
   6. Public Health had shown reduced performance in relation to the delivery of ‘health checks’ largely attributed to pressures in the primary care environment in which the checks were administered.  A new indicator was reported, following the transfer of health visiting responsibilities to the local authority in October which showed that performance levels had been maintained during the transition period.

The Leader spoke to the item and referred to recent comments from government ministers regarding the nature of local government involvement in education and the benefits of academisation.  He felt that it was therefore timely to conduct some further analysis on the performance of academies and for members to be provided with evidence as to whether academisation had led to improved educational standards.  Mr Carter accepted that some of the work would be difficult to analyse, as the first academies were made up of those who were forced to change as a result of poor performance as well as those schools who voluntarily became academies.  Patrick Leeson, Corporate Director of Education and Young Peoples Services commented to remind members that the most significant improvements in Kent had taken place in Primary Schools where the vast majority were not yet academies and while this improvement had been a collaborative effort he maintained that the input of the local authority had been crucial.  In relation to secondary schools, he reported that the majority of those schools that were cause for some concern were academies.  Richard Fitzgerald confirmed that this work could be undertaken.

It was RESOLVED that the report be noted.