Issue - items at meetings - LAA Annual Performance Report

Report of the Acting Director of Strategy and Governance.

20.1    The report was presented by the Senior Performance Analyst and the Head of Improvement and Organisational Development (IOD). The Commission heard that the Local Area Agreement (LAA) was a three year plan and that this report gave the year end results for the first of those three years. All of the indicators were marked by a red, amber or green 'traffic light' to show whether it was on target or not. 68% of the indicators were green and it had been recommended that members focus on those marked as 'red' or 'off-target'.

20.2    Councillor Peltzer Dunn asked for further information about the alcohol-related hospital admittance figures, whether there were statistics for alcohol-related violence figures and the way in which the teenage pregnancy figures had been calculated. The Senior Performance Analyst said that he would circulate written answers to these questions after the Commission.

The Head of IOD commented that it was recognised nationally that higher figures were often indicative of improved recording; this was a national trend. Brighton and Hove City Council had been scrutinised by the Audit Commission who had noted improved performance across the council. The Commission was welcome to have as much performance information and explanation as required at any time.

20.3 Councillor Elgood sought clarification on the indicators for services for disabled children, for the take-up of 'talking therapies' and commented on the very low numbers of rough sleepers that were counted. The Senior Performance Analyst said that he would circulate written answers to the first two of these questions after the Commission. In terms of the rough sleeper count, the national Government guidance specifically excluded any rough sleepers who were not asleep at the time of the count.

20.4    Councillor McCaffery asked for the figures of sexual offences carried out in the public domain to be disaggregated from offences carried out in a domestic setting. The Senior Performance Analyst said that he would seek further clarification on this and keep members informed.

20.5    Councillor McCaffery asked whether, as a general principle, the words 'red/ amber/ green' could be written alongside each indicator as some copies were printed in black and white and the colour could not be seen. This was agreed. It was also agreed to ask other Scrutiny Committees to consider areas of ‘off-target’ performance.

20.6    RESOLVED – (a) that the Overview and Scrutiny Commission notes the recommendations in the report and (b) that the written clarification sought from members on various indicators be circulated. (c) that Overview and Scrutiny Commission agrees to ask the Chairs of relevant Scrutiny Committees to review any areas of off-target performance in greater detail and consider any relevant work the Scrutiny Committee could initiate to help improve performance in the future.