EI Service Improvement Plan 202225 Mid Year Report (FRCS)
Renfrewshire Council · 17 November 2022
Back to Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board — 17 November 2022 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 ___________________________________________________________________ To: Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board On: 17 November 2022 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Gordon McNeil, Director of Environment & Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Environment & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2022/25 Mid-Year Monitoring Report ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 The Environment & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2022-25 was approved by the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board on 15 June 2022. The plan sets out the priorities for the development of the service over a three-year period. Since the Service Improvement Plan was developed, Council has approved a new five-year Council Plan. Consequently, actions and indicators in the Service Improvement Plan have been realigned to fit the themes in that new Council Plan and refreshed Community Plan, both approved by Council in September 2022. These are detailed later in the report. 1.2 Service Improvement Plans reflect the service activity for each Council service, rather than the themes of the Council's Policy Boards. Some aspects of service delivery may fall within the remit of other Policy Boards. In the case of the Environment & Infrastructure SIP, the service activity is split across both the Infrastructure Land and Environment Policy Board and Finance Resources and Customer Services Policy Board and the SIP and updates related to it are therefore reported to both Policy Boards. This covering report and the appendices reflect the areas that are most relevant to the remit of the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board. 1.3 The Service Improvement Plan sets out the actions which will ensure continuous improvement across the service and the performance indicators
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2 which ensure the impact can be measured. These reflect the priority themes of the Council Plan. 1.4 This report contains details of Environment & Infrastructure performance and achievements over the period 1 April 2022 to 30 September 2022. The main purpose of the report is to provide: • details of the key achievements of the service over the period; • an update on changes made to the action plan and scorecard to reflect the new Council Plan themes; • a progress update on implementing the action plan linked to the 2022-25 Service Improvement Plan; • an assessment of performance in relation to the service scorecard of core performance indicators; and • an overview of priorities for the service over the next six months. 1.5 As detailed in section 5 of this report, over the past six months, the service has made good progress in delivering positive outcomes for Renfrewshire and its residents. The list below details some of these achievements. • Building Services has completed permanently fixing mobile CO2 monitors in all Renfrewshire Primary Schools (non-PPP). PPP schools were completed in October and the total of monitors in schools is 1,765; • The £1.5 million school toilet upgrade programme has progressed well with 9 schools completed; • The expansion of free school meals continues to be implemented across all Renfrewshire primary schools; • New school meal menus have been implemented in primary schools; • Menus in secondary schools are being reviewed with a snack-based service and café style dining areas; • In conjunction with Communities and Housing, meals were provided as part of the ‘Summer of fun’ programme; • Soft FM continues to work to ensure that free period products are always available in Renfrewshire Schools; and • Soft FM won the ASSIST Facilities Management Outstanding Contribution to FM Services Award. This recognises the hard work and effort by the team in delivering the implementation of the remodelling of the Soft FM service during 2021.
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3 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy Board note: a) the contents of this report; b) the progress to date on delivering the actions contained within the Environment & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan; c) the current performance of the service as measured by the scorecard indicators. 3. Background 3.1 The Service Improvement Plan is a comprehensive statement of the outcomes the service aims to achieve, and the actions it will take to achieve these. It fits within the wider planning framework of the Council by taking account of Community Planning themes and Council priorities. It enables elected members to have oversight of developments within the service and to consider and develop policy options which reflect customer need and resource availability. 3.2 The Service Improvement Plan also provides a mechanism by which elected members can evaluate the performance of the service. The appendices to the plan contain an action plan and performance indicators against which progress can be measured. This mid-year monitoring report provides an update on progress against the 2022-25 plan. 3.3 Section 4 of this report provides a note on the newly approved Council Plan, outlining the strategic direction the Council Plan describes and how the Service Improvement Plan process aligns with this. Section 5 gives details of service activity and achievements over the period April-September 2022. Section 6 discusses actions delayed or cancelled since the Service Improvement Plan, and any new actions added to reflect additional priorities identified since the plan was approved. Section 7 provides a narrative on performance against the scorecard included as Appendix 2. 3.4 An outturn report detailing full-year performance will be brought before this board in spring 2023.
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4 4. New Council Plan 4.1 Since approval of the Environment & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan by this Board on 15 June, full Council has approved a new Council Plan, which sets out our strategic priorities under five themes – Place, Economy, Fair, Green, Living Our Values. It also has a cross-cutting theme of improving outcomes for children and families, reflecting the importance of delivering the best possible start for children in Renfrewshire. 4.2 The new Council Plan recognises the financial challenge that Renfrewshire, like all local authorities, currently faces. The scale of the challenge has been set out for elected members and the public through a series of reports to Council, and officers will continue to provide regular updates in this way. In response, Council agreed in June 2022 to a portfolio of financial sustainability work to be delivered alongside the main transformation programme and reviews undertaken by individual services. The focus of this activity is also to improve service delivery and outcomes achieved for service users; it is about delivering modern and effective services as well as financial savings. The outcomes of this work may be reflected in future Service Improvement Plans as well as the Council Plan. Despite the scale of the challenge, Council remains committed to building on the many strengths of our communities and delivering strong universal services that support everyone to live well and embrace opportunities. 4.3 The direction of the Council over the next five years will be driven by our five key themes: • We will encourage kind and connected communities where citizens take pride in the place they live • We will support a strong and flexible local economy • We want Renfrewshire to be a fair place, where people feel safe, supported and empowered • We will work towards a greener future • As an organisation, we will be driven by our values, to be fair, helpful, collaborative and value learning. 4.4 Cutting across all of this is our wish for all of Renfrewshire’s children to have loving, happy lives where everyone can enjoy the same opportunities and where wellbeing is nurtured.
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5 4.5 In order to keep Service Improvement Plans aligned with the Council Plan, some actions and performance indicators have been re-allocated to new themes where appropriate. 5. Service Update and Key Achievements April-September 2022 • Building Services has completed permanently fixing mobile CO2 monitors in all Renfrewshire Primary Schools (non-PPP). PPP schools were completed in October and the total of monitors in schools is 1,765; • LED lighting installation is progressing well within PPP schools with early indication of positive benefits; • There have been nine toilets upgraded over the summer as part of the £1.5m capital investment in schools with a further four completed during the October break; • The expansion of free school meals continues to be implemented across all Renfrewshire primary schools; • New school meal menus have been implemented in primary schools based on feedback from pupils, parents and parent councils; • Menus in secondary schools are being reviewed with a snack-based service and café style dining areas hoping to attract more pupils to choose these dining options; • In conjunction with Communities and Housing, meals were provided as part of the ‘Summer of fun’ programme; • Soft FM continues to work to ensure that free period products are always available in Renfrewshire Schools; and • Soft FM won the ASSIST Facilities Management Outstanding Contribution to FM Services Award. This recognises the hard work and effort by the team in delivering the implementation of the remodelling of the Soft FM service during 2021. 6. Areas where actions have been delayed or cancelled 6.1 Due to service resource constraints and factors external to the Council some actions have seen their target dates modified while others have been required to be paused. These include: • Work with the Scottish Government to deliver the further expansion of free school meals to all P6/P7 pupils and to deliver a free breakfast service for all primary school pupils – in its Programme for Government the Scottish Government has phased the expansion of free school meals for P6/7 pupils and the delivery of free breakfast service for all primary
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6 school pupils. • Carry out capital improvements in school kitchens, in line with Scottish Government capital funding, to maintain the delivery of free school meals to all P1 – P5 pupils and all ASN pupils –School estate adapted to support the P1-P5 and capital funding will support further expansion and support ongoing capacity to deliver the service across the estate. 6.2 The remaining actions have been progressing in line with anticipated timescales 7. Progress against performance measures 7.1 Environment & Infrastructure has 11 performance indicators in its current scorecard, all of which are reported quarterly. This report contains data pertaining to Quarter 1/2 as well as trend data. 7.2 The full performance scorecard is included as part of Appendix 1 of this report. 7.3 Several performance indicators in the service scorecard are reported as part of the Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF). The Improvement Service will release a first draft of the 2021/22 data in early December 2022. 7.4 Some examples of good performance with specific relevance to this Policy Board include: • Uptake of free school meals in both primary and secondary schools saw improvements in performance compared to the previous financial year. Primaries rose from 49.3% to 52.3% in the first quarter of this financial year. This is above the target of 52%. Secondary performance increased from 32.3% to 39.6% (above the target of 35%) over the same time period; • Elected Member enquiry response rate of 92.3% to 31 August 2022, is improved on previous years performance of 86.7% and continues to exceed the current 85% target; • Frontline resolutions response rate of 85.3% exceeds the 85% target to the end of September 2022 and is performing favourably compared to the 80.8% response rate recorded in 2021/22; • Complaint investigation response rate of 90.9% exceeds the 85% target to the end of September 2022 and is performing favourably compared to the 64.8% response rate recorded in 2021/22. Scrutiny of complaints data and performance is a key priority for the service. This focus is now having a positive impact with response rates improving
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7 7.6 The following indicators were below target: • The percentage of compliance tasks undertaken per year, statutory compliance in public buildings for quarter one was 70% performing against a target of 80% for this year and a decline from 72% in 2021/22; 8. Priorities over the next six months 8.1 Financial management The Council has agreed to a portfolio of financial sustainability work to be delivered alongside the main transformation programme and reviews undertaken by individual services. Environment & Infrastructure will support the portfolio approach and ensure that the focus of its activity will be on improving service delivery and outcomes achieved for service users while delivering modern and effective services as well as financial savings. 8.2 Right for Renfrewshire The service continues to engage with the Right for Renfrewshire programme. The Facilities Management service area review will continue over the next six months; 8.3 COVID Recovery Environment and Infrastructure’s key services continued to operate within Covid-19 pandemic. Frontline operational services have experienced pressure on resources, with annual leave and recruitment issues in some areas stretching the resilience of services. 8.4 Plan for RenZero Following the publication of the plan for RenZero the service will continue to be at the forefront of work being done to respond to climate change targets through RenZero. 8.5 Building Services Management information System Develop the new information management system (WorkHub) to ensure the service generates accurate costs/figures. 8.6 Universal Free School Meal Provision (UFSM) Continue to support the extension of UFSM to all pupils in primary 6 and 7. 8.7 Responsiveness to Freedom of Information requests & Complaints The service will continue to build on the improvements and strong focus on improving performance in responding to complaints, members enquiries and
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8 FOIs; 8.8 Use of Data and Technology Data, process flows, and digital improvement of services continues across all service areas, with focus on Building Services and Soft FM over the next 6 months. Implications of the Report 1. Financial – This report notes the financial challenges facing the local authority and the work that will be undertaken by the service to manage this. 2. HR & Organisational Development – The action plan included as Appendix 2 highlights the service’s commitment to this priority area. 3. Community/Council Planning – Service Improvement Plans reflect the contribution of each service to the Council and Community Plans. 4. Legal – None 5. Property/Assets – None 6. Information Technology – Digital resources are now key to the delivery of services and strategies are in place to manage this. 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report.because it is for noting only. 8. Health & Safety – Appendix 2 includes actions relating to employee wellbeing and absence. 9. Procurement – None 10. Risk – Risks related to the delivery and management of services are regularly monitored and included in Renfrewshire Council’s Corporate and Strategic Risk Registers. 11. Privacy Impact – None
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9 12. COSLA Policy Position – None 13. Climate Change - The service will contribute to the Council’s Plan for Net Zero through its management of council property. ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers: Environment & Infrastructure Service Improvement Plan 2022 – 2025 Council Plan 2022 - 2027 ___________________________________________________________________ Author Gordon McNeil, Director of Environment & Infrastructure
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Appendix 1 10 Actions 2022-25 Priority Action: Place Actions Code Action Status Progress Due Date Update 01 Continuing to deliver repairs and emergency out of hours repair service to 12,500 Council housing properties within Renfrewshire 31-Mar-2023 Building Services continues to work with colleagues in Communities and Housing to provide a full repairs and emergency service to the council house residents of Renfrewshire. 02 Continuing to deliver repairs and compliance services to public buildings in Renfrewshire including schools 31-Mar-2023 Building Services continues to work with all Services across the wider Renfrewshire family and carry out repairs and compliance checks across all of Renfrewshire’s Public Buildings. The COVID-19 catch up programme has made good progress in the first 6 months of this financial year. Status Cancelled Delayed In Progress Completed
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Appendix 1 11 Priority Action: Economy Actions Code Action Status Progress Due Date Update 01 Provide employment, training and apprenticeship opportunities for identified groups of young people in Renfrewshire 31-Mar-2023 Work is ongoing across to ensure the service provides employment, training and apprenticeship opportunities: - Soft FM has been working with Project Search and has provided placements for 3 students across the service. This gives students the opportunity to gain 10 weeks’ work experience, covering a variety of roles within the service. - Building Services has recruited and started 3 youth apprentices from within the Renfrewshire area. Their college training commenced in late August, 2022.
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Appendix 1 12 Priority Action: Fair Actions Code Action Status Progress Due Date Update 01 Provide healthy meals that meet the requirements of the Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020 by analysing the school menus to comply 31-Mar-2023 All school menus are analysed and are fully compliant with the Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020. The Soft FM service serves approximately 8,500 healthy school meals every day. 02 Work in partnership with Community Learning and Development Team as an integral part of the holiday programme through the provision and delivery of healthy meals 31-Mar-2023 The service has been working closely with colleagues from the Communities and Housing Service to deliver targeted provision of accessible activities, childcare and food for primary school children from low-income families. Consideration has been given to tackling food insecurity and promoting healthy relationships with food whilst ensuring these children have had access to healthy nutritional meals during holiday times. 03 Deliver the expansion of free school meals to all P1 – P5 children and to all ASN pupils 31-Aug-2022 The expansion of the universal school meal provision was extended in August 2022 and now includes all pupils in P1 – P5 and all pupils in ASN schools.
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Appendix 1 13 Priority Action: Fair Actions Code Action Status Progress Due Date Update 04 Carry out capital improvements in school kitchens, in line with Scottish Government capital funding, to maintain the delivery of free school meals to all P1 – P5 pupils and all ASN pupils. 31-Aug-2022 We have established interim working arrangements to ensure the ongoing delivery of this service. This involves preparing and cooking additional meals from a number of school kitchens across the school estate. Meals are then delivered to those schools which do not have the facilities to cook onsite. Once capital funding becomes available, we will look at upgrading school kitchens to maximise the number of premises which have on-site cooking facilities. This will provide resilience to increase capacity in line with the continued roll out of universal free school meals. 05 Work with the Scottish Government to deliver the further expansion of free school meals to all P6/P7 pupils and to deliver a free breakfast service for all primary school pupils 31-Mar-2026 06 Continue to work with CoSLA to ensure the provision of free sanitary products within education premises across Renfrewshire as part of the of the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill 31-Mar-2023 The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021 has been in force since 15th August 2022. The Soft FM service continues to work with colleagues across the authority to ensure that free sanitary products are always available in Renfrewshire’s schools. The service is working with schools to promote the use of more environmentally friendly and re-usable products and has developed a QR code ordering process to improve accessibility to these products.
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Appendix 1 14 Priority Action: Living our Values Actions Code Action Status Progress Due Date Update 01 Provide our employees with the appropriate support to manage their attendance, health and wellbeing 31-Mar-2023 Absence management has been a key focus for the service in the first six months of 2022/23. The service has also invested in mental health first aid training and the creation of mental health champions. Environment & Infrastructure continues to support delivery of the Corporate Health and Well Being Strategy. 02 Implement the Council’s People’s Strategy 31-Mar-2023 Environment & Infrastructure will support the development of this key Council priority. 03 Active participation in Council’s Right for Renfrewshire Transformational Programme 31-Mar-2023 Operations & Infrastructure is participating in service reviews as part of the Right for Renfrewshire transformation programme. The service will be fully engaged in supporting the Council’s strategy for financial sustainability through the portfolio approach which will be delivered alongside the main transformation programme and reviews undertaken by individual services. 04 Better use of data and technology to improve services performance and delivery 31-Mar-2023 The use of data analytics and technological developments continues to employed to support service improvement out across each service area.
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Appendix 1 15 Priority Action: Living our Values Actions Code Action Status Progress Due Date Update 05 Provide an integrated FM service across the Council for public building and housing repairs and compliance 31-Mar-2023 Work continues to implement an integrated FM Service. A new Head of Facilities and Property Management has been recruited to review and strategically lead on the management of public buildings and wider Renfrewshire Council property portfolio. 06 Support the Council to implement the Business World system 31-Mar-2023 Environment & Infrastructure continue to participate and engage in the implementation of Business World. 07 Embed new approaches to staff communication and engagement across all areas of the service 31-Mar-2023 The Service’s approach to staff communication and engagement was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will recommence during the remainder of the financial year with alternative approaches to engagement being implemented across the service. An enhanced approach to staff panels will be part of that process. 08 Ensure robust and up to date business continuity arrangements are in place 31-Mar-2023 The Environment & Infrastructure, Resilience Management Team continue to hold quarterly meetings, to review recent incidents and lessons learned, business continuity exercises and any training required.
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Appendix 1 16 Priority Action: Living our Values Actions Code Action Status Progress Due Date Update 09 Review Health & Safety and Risk Assessments 31-Mar-2023 The Risk Assessment Process has been agreed and the development of an accompanying training module is nearing completion. 10 Ensure robust financial monitoring is in place to support the COVID-19 recovery 31-Mar-2023 The Senior Leadership Team and service managers continue to meet on a period by period basis with finance colleagues to monitor budgets and to ensure the service is provided with the most up to date information to ensure robust financial systems are in place to support the service.
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Appendix 1 17 Priority Action: Improving Outcomes for Children and Families Actions Code Action Status Progress Due Date Update 01 Deliver a programme of engagement with schools, parents and pupils, encouraging participation in the development of school meal menus 31-Mar-2023 Work is ongoing to meet with pupil groups to encourage participation around the creation of new school menus. This also provides opportunity to provide further explanation of the Nutritional Guidelines. A new Menu and Nutrition Officer has been appointed and this will be a main priority of their role. Sampling session are being planned now that face to face parents’ evenings are recommencing.
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Appendix 1 18 Priority Theme: Place Performance Indicators Code Performance Indicator Current Status Short Term Trend Long Term Trend 2020/21 2021/22 Q1 Q2 2022/23 Explanation of Performance Value Target Value Target Value Value Target 01 % of reported street lighting faults which were attended within the 7-day timescale 98% 95% 99.9% 95% 100% 99.2% 95% 100% were attended within the 7 day period in quarter one and 99.2% in quarter 2 against an annual target of 95%. In 2021/22 performance was 100% in both quarters. 02 % of Overall repairs completed within time by building services 95% 95% 93.6% 95% Not currently available 80% Work continues with regards to the new information management system (WorkHub). Therefore, whilst easily accessible, reliable information isn’t currently provided for the 6 month update for two Building Services’ indicators – Phase 1 of the new system is almost complete which will start to generate accurate costs/figures etc. once fully functional/operational 03 average length of time taken to 10.7 15 17.24 15 Not currently available 15 Scorecard PI Status Alert Unknown Warning Data Only OK Long Term Trends Improving No Change Getting Worse Short Term Trends Improving No Change Getting Worse
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Appendix 1 19 Priority Theme: Place Performance Indicators Code Performance Indicator Current Status Short Term Trend Long Term Trend 2020/21 2021/22 Q1 Q2 2022/23 Explanation of Performance Value Target Value Target Value Value Target complete non- emergency repairs – public buildings 04 % of compliance tasks undertaken per year – Statutory compliance for public buildings 77% 90% 72% 90% 70% Not yet availabl e 80% Compliance of tasks undertaken for statutory compliance in public buildings is performing at 70%. This is below the annual target of 80%. The reduction in performance was due to Covid-19 with challenges around both access and staff resource (both Council and Contractor). The service is currently addressing the backlog and are being supported by contractors, with exclusive dedicated resources now in place, including the replacement of Managers who left service in past year. This should lead to an increase in performance over the next 6 months.
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Appendix 1 20 Priority Theme: Fair Performance Indicators Code Performance Indicator Current Status Short Term Trend Long Term Trend 2020/21 2021/22 Q1 Q2 2022/23 Explanation of Performance Value Target Value Target Value Value Target 01 % uptake of free school meals in primary schools 47.2% 75% 49.3% 75% 52.3% TBC 52% Uptake of free school meals in both primary and secondaries saw improvements in performance compared to the previous financial year. Primaries rising from 49.3% to 52.3% in the first quarter of this financial year. This is above the target of 52%. Secondary performance increased from 32.3% to 39.6% (above the target of 35%) in the same time period. There has been positive feedback to the new menu resulting in the recent increase in uptake. Taster sessions were organised with schools and engagement with schools on an individual basis to focus on uptake, is ongoing. 02 % uptake of free school meals in secondary schools 49.6% 49% 32.3% 49% 39.6% TBC 35%
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Appendix 1 21 Priority Theme: Living Our Values Performance Indicators Code Performance Indicator Current Status Short Term Trend Long Term Trend 2020/21 2021/22 Q1 Q2 2022/23 Explanation of Performance Value Target Value Target Value Value Target 01 Average number of work days lost through sickness absence per employee (FTE) (cumulative) 17.02 13.7 15.5 13.7 3.5 3.6 13.7 In Q1 the average number of work-days lost per FTE was 3.5, meeting the quarter 1 target of 3.5. In Q2 the average number of work-days lost per FTE was 3.6. 02 % of members enquiries completed within timescale by E&I 86.4% 85% 86.7% 85% 95% 92% 85% Scrutiny of complaints data and performance is a key priority for the service and continues to be carried out on a regular basis at management team meetings. It and has been supported by improvements in both data analytics and access to management information. This investment and focus is now having a positive impact with response rates improving: Members enquiries – in the first 6 months of 2022/23, 93.3% of member enquiries were responded to within timescale compared to 82% for the same time period in 2021/22. The annual target for 2022/23 is 85% In 2022/23 2,824 enquiries were received in the first 6 months compared to 2,571 in the same 6-month period in 2021/22. FOIs - in the first 6 months of 2022/23, 98% of FOIs were responded to within timescale 03 % of FOI requests completed within timescale by E&I 96% 100% 99% 100% 98% 98% 100% 04 % of front line resolutions dealt with within timescale by E&I 75% 100% 80.8% 85% 82.7% 87.7% 85% 05 % of complaint investigations completed within timescale by E&I 58% 95% 64.8% 95% 91.9% 89.7% 85%
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Appendix 1 22 Priority Theme: Living Our Values Performance Indicators Code Performance Indicator Current Status Short Term Trend Long Term Trend 2020/21 2021/22 Q1 Q2 2022/23 Explanation of Performance Value Target Value Target Value Value Target compared to 98% for the same period in 2021/22. The annual target for 2022/23 is 100%. In 2022/23 93 FOIs were received in the first 6 months compared to 118 in the same 6-month period in 2021/22. Frontline Resolutions – in the first 6 months of 2022/23, 85.3% of frontline resolutions were responded to within timescale compared to 79.5% for the same period in 2021/22. The annual target for 2022/23 is 85%. In 2022/23 23,142 enquiries were received in the first 6 months compared to 4,194 in the same 6-month period in 2021/22. Investigations - in the first 6 months of 2022/23, 90.9% of complaint investigations were responded to within timescale compared to 50% for the same period in 2021/22. In 2022/23 220 enquiries were received in the first 6 months compared to 468 in the same 6-month period in 2021/22. The annual target for 2022/23 is 85%.