Item 08 - West Dunbartonshire Council Annual Performance Report 2022_23
West Dunbartonshire Council · 25 October 2023
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 25 October 2023 and its agenda
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Officer - Citizen, Culture, & Facilities West Dunbartonshire Council - 25 October 2023 Subject: West Dunbartonshire Council Annual Performance Report 2022/23 1. Purpose The purpose of this report is to present the West Dunbartonshire Council Annual Performance Report 2022/23 and supporting performance information. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended Council notes the annual report and performance information provided. 3. Background 3.1 This annual report fulfils a key Council requirement to report performance publicly and is designed to ensure relevance and ease of access for a wide audience. 3.2 Audit Scotland’s Direction and Guide sets out the Public Performance Reporting (PPR) requirements for local authorities to be published by March 2024 for the financial year ending 31 March 2023. Through these PPR requirements, the Council should provide a suite of information on how services are performing. In addition to the annual report, the Council publishes detailed year-end reports for each service area through the strategic Delivery Plans, including performance indicators, and a range of additional information which citizens may find useful. 3.3 The Annual Report is one element of a comprehensive approach to PPR for the Council. In addition to this, reports and analysis will continue to be prepared and published on key performance indicators from the Strategic Plan and the Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF). PPR data will continue to be updated throughout the year to ensure robust and timely reporting of data as it becomes available. 4. Main Issues 4.1 In line with our evolving approach to presenting accessible data, and following on from previous reports, the Annual Report 2022/23 (attached as Appendix 1) encompasses a range of visual and infographic-based data. It is intended to offer a high-level overview of achievements against each strategic priority in the previous year, national performance within the LGBF, along with a range of ITEM 8
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supporting strategic information on budgets, workforce and feedback. LGBF data is continually reviewed and updated throughout the year by the Improvement Service and therefore subject to change, data reported is the most up to date available at time of reporting and is accurate at time of reporting. In addition any modification to any data within the full benchmarking suite may impact our comparative performance. 4.2 The performance page of the Council website hosts a comprehensive suite of PPR material in both infographic and narrative format. This enables anyone who wishes more information on areas highlighted in the Annual eport to drill down to a more detailed level. This model of reporting is in line with the Audit Scotland Direction and also fits well with the Accounts Commission paper on the evaluation of PPR, which recommends an overview-style report with supporting detailed information. 2022/23 Strategic Plan performance 4.3 A suite of 49 performance indicators was agreed when the Strategic Plan 2022-2027 was developed and approved at Council in October 2022. These indicators are considered the most relevant for evidencing the delivery of outcomes in relation to the key priority and outcome areas as defined in the plan. 4.4 A more detailed performance report on Strategic Plan indicators is attached as Appendix 2 to this paper. All indicators are considered by strategic services in the development of annual Delivery Plans, and this informs the strategic assessment section of the plans and also allows the identification of actions intended to improve performance. 4.5 The table below shows the total number of indicators reported through the Strategic Plan and details the latest performance data for the 2022/23 year. Indicator Status Performance Indicators 22/23 Total Indicators 49 Green 33 (67 %) Amber 9 (19 %) Red 7 (14 %) 4.6 As can be seen from the table above, based on the available data, 33 (67%) of Strategic Plan indicators have met or exceeded target, and a further nine (19%) narrowly missed target. 4.7 The seven (14%) indicators that significantly missed target in 2022/23, are: • Number of attendances per 1,000 population for indoor sports and
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leisure facilities; • Percentage of total household waste that is recycled; • Tonnage of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled; • Percentage of Council houses that are energy efficient ; • Percentage of residents satisfied with roads maintenance; • Percentage of employee attendance improvement rate (teachers & local govt.); and • Percentage of Stage 1 complaints responded to within 5 working days. Resident Satisfaction & Feedback Performance 4.8 IBP Strategy and Research undertakes a monthly telephone survey of resident satisfaction on behalf of the Council. The survey is intended to capture a representative reflection of how residents view the Council in general and to gauge their satisfaction with a range of services. The sample covers the G60 (10%), G81 (42%), G82 (22%) and G83 (26%) postcode areas. To ensure a respondent profile similar to the population, interviews are carried out during the day and at evenings and weekends. During 22/23, 1200 interviews were carried out per month in a pattern broadly proportionate to the population profile of the area. 4.8 Resident satisfaction is a key measure of how we are performing, and within the Strategic Plan six indicators support this measure, perception of the Council is also measured by five key indicators. The following indicators represent, with the exception of roads maintenance, relatively high levels of satisfaction. A more detailed performance report on the full suite of Telephone Survey satisfaction responses is attached as Appendix 3 to this paper. Strategic Plan Indicators Indicator 22/23 Status 22/23 Score 2021/22 Score Change % of residents satisfied with street cleaning Met target 72% 72% No Change % of residents satisfied with Council services overall Narrowly missed target 87% 88% -1% % of residents satisfied with parks and open spaces Narrowly missed target 84% 87% -3% % of citizens satisfied with the Council website Met target 85% 89% -4% % of residents satisfied with roads maintenance Significantly missed target 29% 38% -9% Strategic Plan Indicators and Sentiment Statements
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Indicator 22/23 Status 22/23 Score 2021/22 Score Change % of residents who feel the Council communicates well with them Narrowly missed target 71% 74% -3% Sentiment Statements Indicator 22/23 Status 22/23 Score 2021/22 Score Change West Dunbartonshire Council services are value for money Data only PI 66% 64% +2% % of residents satisfied with the way West Dunbartonshire Council runs services Data only PI 79% 80% -1% West Dunbartonshire Council takes account of residents' views Data only PI 63% 65% -2% I would speak highly of West Dunbartonshire Council Data only PI 71% 75% -4% 4.9 In addition to the Telephone Survey, an annual Citizen’s Panel was completed in spring 2023 and received 282 responses, 25% more than the previous year. Following the priorities of the Strategic Plan 2022-27, residents were asked to provide feedback on a range of topics. Information from the Citizen’s Panel is used to assist with strategic planning. A full report is available at Appendix 4. LGBF 2021/22 performance (latest data available) 4.10 All 32 Scottish local authorities participate in the Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF). The Framework brings together a range of performance indicators encompassing information on a wide range of key services including education, housing, social work and leisure as well as service costs and citizen satisfaction results. The use of a consistent suite of indicators across all local authorities allows for comparison of performance, meaning Councils can identify best practice, learn from each other and improve what we do. 4.11 Significant differences between local authorities in terms of population, geography, social and economic factors and the needs and priorities of local communities contribute to variations in performance. All of these factors require to be taken into account when comparing performance with other local authorities. 4.12 There are 105 LGBF indicators in the suite overall. An assessment has been made of relative performance both against previous years and also in relation to ranking against other Local Authorities in terms of family groups and the Scottish average. A full report of all indicators can be
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found at Appendix 5. 4.13 The 105 indicators can be classified in three thematic areas; Cost; Satisfaction and Performance. Overall 64% are showing improvement against the previous year (up from 50%). The table below demonstrates the comparative performance position for West Dunbartonshire in the year of publication broken down by thematic area. Improved on previous year Better than Scottish average Better than Family group average Cost 33% (7) 43% (9) 52% (11) Satisfaction 64% (8) 100% (11) 100% (10) Performance 64% (47) 45% (36) 47% (39) 4.14 When looking at performance over the three key areas, as in the table above, we see that Cost indicators are showing less improvement than the other areas. This is particularly significant in service areas such as Environmental, Education and Adult and Social Care Services. The table below compares the relative rankings (indicative) for West Dunbartonshire in the last five years of publication. 1st quartile 2nd quartile 3rd quartile 4th quartile 2017/18 25% (17) 25% (17) 27% (19) 23% (16) 2018/19 33% (26) 24% (19) 17% (14) 26% (21) 2019/20 26% (21) 30% (24) 18% (14) 26% (21) 2020/21 28% (21) 21% (16) 22% (17) 29% (22) 2021/22 28% (30) 30% (31) 16% (17) 26% (27) 4.15 When looking at performance over the previous five years, as in the table above, we see that the top two quartiles performance has, in the main, been improving year on year. 4.16 The LGBF National Annual Overview Report (see Appendix 6) for this data also highlights the important fact that Councils were operating in a challenging context in 2021/22 as a result of the ongoing impact of Covid, soaring inflation, reduced revenue funding and the cost of living crisis. It also records that funding for Councils is not increasing at a sufficient pace to keep up with demands. This is exacerbated increasing costs, including the impact of living wage and pay settlements; additional impacts on demand from increasing levels of poverty; and higher public expectations. 4.17 Councils have also faced increasing national policy and legislative demands. According to the Improvement Service, whilst total revenue funding for Councils increased in real terms by 5.3% in 2021/22 (excluding non-recurring Covid funding), the proportion of funding which is ring-fenced and directed or provided with the expectation it will be spent on specific services has grown from 18.2% to 23.0%. This has resulted in a 1.2% real-terms reduction in revenue funding available to
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Councils in 2021/22 to pursue local priorities. Despite these significant and ongoing funding pressures, the long-term trends in the LGBF reveal that Local Government has continued to do well in sustaining performance – and this is reflected in West Dunbartonshire. 4.18 To ensure a sustained focus on improvement activity, the Performance & Strategy team will continue to provide comprehensive support to Chief Officers and services. In addition to the assistance provided to each Chief Officer to support delivery planning and routine performance, the team is also providing a range of business intelligence reports to inform improvements. This includes the routine quarterly report on the telephone survey results, Citizens Panel analysis and further specific tailored reports as required/requested. 5. People Implications 5.1 There are no personnel implications from this report. 6. Financial Implications 6.1 There are no financial implications from this report. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 The content of this report forms a core element of the Council’s public performance reporting (PPR) for 2022/23. Failure to gather and report on delivery in this way may result in the Council not fulfilling its PPR commitments as set out in Audit Scotland’s Guide. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 This report is for noting and does not recommend any changes to policy or procedure at the Council. As such an EIA screening was not required. 9. Consultation 9.1 Consideration of the report at internal meetings forms the basis of consultation on development of the Annual Report. Content of the annual report has been drawn from previously prepared reports from Chief Officers. 10. Strategic Assessment 10.1 The Annual Report and supporting indicator reports directly link to the Council’s 2022-27 Strategic Plan and the progression of all the Strategic Priorities and Outcomes. Amanda Graham 28 September 2023
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Person to Contact: Nicola Docherty Performance & Strategy Team Leader Email: Nicola.Docherty@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1: West Dunbartonshire Council Annual Report 2022/23 Appendix 2: Strategic Performance Indicators Scorecard 2022/23 Appendix 3: WDC reputational tracker 2023-23 Appendix 4: WDC Citizens Panel 2022-23 Appendix 5: LGBF performance indicators scorecard 2021/22 (latest data) Appendix 6: LGBF Annual National Overview Report 2021/22 Background Papers: WDC Strategic Plan 2022-27 Wards Affected: All Wards