The Strategic Director presented a report which outlined the current performance of the Transformation and Resources Department (as at 31st July 2013) against its Directorate Plan for 2013/14 in a Performance Dashboard. It translated the priorities set out in the Plan into a coherent set of performance outcome measures and targets that would be used to evaluate the achievement of the priorities outlined in the Plan over the next year.

The report also included appendices with exception reports on those three items which had been ‘red‘ rated for non-compliance against the specified target.

Responding to comments from Members, the Head of Business Processes stated in respect of indicators, DP11 and DP11a, that there were a number of initiatives to recover debt and that as with all debts the first twelve months were the key time to recover them. He outlined the work of the Collection and Recovery Team (CaRT) and the need for staff training so that people from whom the debts were being claimed were fully aware of what they were paying for and their responsibilities. The two software systems being used in the processing and recovery of debt, civica and oracle were capable of running together and no data was lost between the two.

The Chair suggested that it might be useful to have a separate indicator to measure performance in the recovery of historic debt.

In respect of further comments on other indicators, the Strategic Director acknowledged the gap in information from Human Resources in respect of CP3. HR were involved in all of the establishment restructures which would conclude in November and he would make sure that more information was provided in the next report. With regard to indicator CP5 there had been a significant reduction in the use of agency staff and the use of consultants and he would provide further information on this to the committee.

With regard to indicator P7, Head of Legal and Member Services, informed the committee that the Standards and Constitutional Oversight Committee had been cancelled in September due to the unavailability of the Chair, and items for that Committee could be dealt with at the meeting in November.

The Interim Director of Resources, in respect of indicator P3, stated that once the ‘no purchase order no pay policy’ had been introduced, SME’s would be guaranteed payments of invoices within 10 days if they had a purchase order 10 days in advance.

A Member commented upon the need to ensure all officers were present to respond to questions which might be raised. The Strategic Director appreciated the point made and explained that the focus of the ‘performance dashboard’ was on exception reporting.

Members expressed congratulations to all those responsible for the improved  dashboard and a Member suggested that it would be helpful to have exception reports not just on those indicators which were ‘red’ but also those moving in the wrong direction.

Resolved - That the Performance Dashboard be noted and the information contained within it be used to inform the Committee’s future work programme.