Corporate Assessment Key Lines of Inquiry

Q4  In the light of what The Council has learned to date what does it plan to do next?

Learning

110. The Council is very self aware and knows both what it does, and has done, well and where it still needs to improve. The Council has been ready, and able, to learn from its own experiences and from those of other Councils and organisations. Some examples of where change and improvement have followed from learning are given in the following paragraphs.
111. The Council is developing its scrutiny role and learning from experience and through networking how to make scrutiny more effective. It has recently reorganised the role and established the Policy and Performance Overview Committee and time limited member task groups to examine, for example, Communication, Consultation and Partnership, Open Space, Customer Service, and the take up of benefits.
112. The Council took a Best Value interim feedback report on Customer Services (April 2002) very seriously. As a result the Best Value review was broadened in scope and outcome. This has also led to change in the Council's culture, moving from a traditional perspective to a more customer focused view. The interim report was an effective "wake up call" from which we have learned.
113. The Council took part in an Electoral Pilot Scheme for the May 2003 elections. This was the first voting pilot to be undertaken by the Council. This was one of the most ambitious and successful pilots increasing turnout from 41% to 54.45%. Options included digital TV (one of the first in the world), telephone, internet and postal. Our experiences were published in a case study and participated in a number of networks and seminars disseminating our experience and an international seminar in Northern Ireland attended by leading politicians.
114. We learned and promoted learning opportunities through the Beacon Council scheme (Town Centre Regeneration) and participate in other Beacon events. Staff and members are active in 115 networks/partnerships at regional, national and local level.
115. The Council has carried out a self-assessment and Peer Review using the WMLGA’s Performance Assessment Scheme based on the EFQM Excellence Model. Its conclusions on one of the key themes is that the Council has some very good performance results, often with targets and with trends extending in one case to 17 years and evidence of benchmarking. It also recognises that we need a wider scope of results with clear evidence of trends, targets benchmarking against best-in-class Councils and evidence that the outcomes resulted from the authority’s approach. This has now been documented and performance is reviewed and corrective action taken.
116. The Council has also learned from its recent CPA Peer Challenge, which confirmed the areas for improvement that the Council had already identified. The Peer Challenge also identified that the Council could improve its self assessment by gaining a deeper understanding of the underlying thinking that supports the CPA process. With the aid of external expertise the Council has both increased its understanding of the process and improved its self assessment documentation.
117. Legal updates are periodically issued to advise colleagues throughout the authority on recent caselaw and new legislation etc. In addition we are also working in partnership with local solicitors (as a Property Interest Group) to keep one another abreast of changing/new legislation relating to property matters.
118. The Council subscribes to the National wide Psnet information exchange service. This enables rapid identification of current knowledge, best practice and "problem avoidance" cost benchmarking when considering new initiatives.
119. In July 2003 the Council arranged a management skills seminar run by Momentum Training specifically for key partners in the community with a view to further events or shared skills training taking place. The Council as a pilot is in partnership with the Sixth Form College on basic skills training and IT training etc. with Learn Direct.
120. We recognise the need to continuously improve our performance management framework and have shared our traffic light monitoring system with other Shropshire authorities and more widely in the West Midlands. We have recognised the importance of sharing information with colleagues including improving the data gathered through surveys and consultation and such information is now starting to be available via the intranet3. Cross cutting teams now lead major projects including Customer Focus Review, IEG, EDRMS project, procurement, risk management, depot provision, new offices and CPA.
121. The Council has learnt through the scrutiny of the Old Market Hall restoration project by the Scrutiny Committee with the assistance of the public, architects etc. that its project management skills needed to improve. Proposals for restoration and installing a cinema were not fully understood or communicated to the public and the restoration project involved expenditure above that initially identified. The approach to project management did not follow a recognised system. In partnership with the Fire Authority the Prince 2 system was identified as an appropriate management system and training has been given to a cross section of employees involved in project management.
122. The Council encourages innovation and learning through the Staff Suggestion Scheme. Between 1st April and 31st December 2003, 12 suggestions have been received, 4 have been approved and have been actioned.
123. To improve listening approaches, we have changed our overview and scrutiny arrangements to allow increased participation by the public, resulting for example in an increase in concessionary fare options and funding.
124. In 2002 the Council organised a visioning event for the Twinning Committee to clarify its aims and objectives and regularly exchanges officers and people from the business community to share experience on town centre management, community safety, planning, museums and economic development with our twin town.
125. We have learnt from the community strategy process. The first strategy was written by an external person reporting to the Strategy Group also chaired by an external person but supported and empowered by Council. The Strategy was wide ranging and not specific in some areas which has now been addressed as part of the thematic review of Shrewsbury and Atcham Partnership.
126. We have diverse mechanisms in place for communicating with our employees, members and other stakeholders (e.g. e-mail, intranet, internet, focus groups, team meetings, bulletins, leaflets). The implementation of the Communications and Consultation Strategy aims to improve communications and sharing of information from consultation activities.
127. Senior Officers participate in and make presentations at national and regional events, conferences and seminars. Some examples include: involvement with the Cabinet Office Modernising Team to discuss Public Service Agreements and Community Strategy, Local Government Pay Commission advisory body, Appointed to the E-democracy National Project Board, Presentations on e-voting, flooding and historic buildings, modern design in a historic setting, New street zones services initiative. The Council has offered training externally to share its best practice with others, i.e. Chief Executive to Audit Service National Training event in 2003, Director of Central Services to Audit Service on Ethics and Standards and Role of Monitoring Officer training event, Housing Benefits staff run District Audit Housing Benefit course, Elections staff in Northern Ireland and Nice, France on E-voting, PSNet Conference 2004 - innovation in street based services.
128. The Development Control service has actively sought out best practice and learnt from authorities such as Blackpool, Wyre Forest, Exeter, Cheltenham and Gloucester on wide ranging issues such as customer care and electronic access to services.
129. The Council learns through experience for example on control of litter. Education by itself did not stop people dropping litter so pro-active enforcement programme introduced. On abandoned vehicles causing a fire hazard and being unsightly a new system was introduced in partnership with the Police and Fire Services. On flooding, just by putting sand bags where none were previously placed prevented an area from flooding for much longer. Where there is service failure staff are encouraged to talk about it, identify options for ensuring it will not happen again, put it right, learn from others and then move forward.

Future Plans

130. The Council has a range of robust future plans which set out a sustained focus to achieve the Council’s ambitions including statutory and business plans in place, e.g. Community Strategy10, Housing Strategy14 (assessed as Average, previously Below Average), Capital Strategy50 (assessed as Good), Asset Management Plan (assessed as Satisfactory but only two points off Good), Corporate Plan25 and individual Service Portfolios59. These plans link directly to longer term ambitions and are kept under review. The Corporate Plan 1999 was amended to reflect the Community Strategy and Council priorities. The Economic Development Plan, District Action Plan, LA21 and Cultural Strategy were incorporated in the Community Strategy. Prior to any plan being adopted consultation with the community takes place.
131. By having ambitions, knowing what our priorities are and knowing what our capacity is, the Council is able to produce plans that are realistic and take account of local needs and aspirations. The Council has prepared statutory plans, in accordance with national and regional guidance that set out a sustained focus to achieving the Council’s ambitions. For example, policies and proposals in the Local Plan and Housing Strategy are set out to meet the Council’s ambition to deliver 500 social units by 2006. In addition, the Community Strategy, the Council’s Corporate Plan and PIP provides a framework for the delivery of Council services within which clear targets are set.
132. The five year improvement plans19 for services that have undergone Best Value reviews provide a valuable tool for measuring performance improvement. By monitoring performance against the targets set out within these plans the Council is able to ensure that the necessary improvements are being made. It is recognised that not all the improvements are going to be achieved due to the need to prioritise budgetary commitments. If the Council is to maintain an inflation only increase in council tax this will remain the case for the foreseeable future.
133. With the development of a more challenging approach to Best Value reviews, the Council has recognised the need for improvement plans to be SMART and for the costs of improvements to service quality to be considered as part of the budget process. Budgeting constraints may prevent the achievement of certain improvements but those that go forward (such as improvements in street cleansing) reflect the priorities of the Council.
134. The Council’s IEG Strategy is firmly placed and resourced within the Council. It is delivering the change agenda through EDRMS implementation, new finance systems, GIS and towards 100% electronic interaction for services. Staff are involved in plan development either through annual meetings, relevant service meetings or cross cutting groups, i.e. IEG, Housing Needs or Public Space.
135. The waste management review has resulted in a better waste collection service and increased kerbside recycling of green waste is planned for 2004. These services have been benchmarked and challenged. The finance system changes are planned for 2005.
136. All of the Council’s statutory strategies/plans and many of the non-statutory strategies/plans have been prepared with extensive public involvement19. For example, the Town Centre Strategy has been developed with stakeholders and under the leadership of the Town Centre Management Partnership prior to wider public involvement. As the umbrella strategy, the community strategy was developed in partnership alongside other public, private and voluntary agencies and involved talking and listening to a wide range of organisations and local people within Shrewsbury and Atcham, giving them the opportunity to speak out about their hopes, needs and priorities. As a result the necessary policies are in place to make a real difference to life in the Borough. The Council is one of the first in the region to produce a Statement of Community Involvement that sets out how we will involve all parts of the community in reviewing the current local plan and decisions on planning applications (currently subject to consultation). An example of effective engagement can be demonstrated through the community strategy thematic groups who are involved in progressing the Community Strategy review and setting revised targets.
137. To ensure that staff are fully involved in planning for the future the Council has annual briefing sessions for employees that allow for a two way dialogue, in addition to cascading plans to individual staff members through the EDS46.
138. The Best Value Review programme has been re-focused on the four themes of the Community Strategy (economic wellbeing, environmental wellbeing, community wellbeing and lifelong learning) and how the Council focuses on its customers in order to examine services on a more cross cutting and corporate basis. This programme of work continues. The five year improvement plans have been published in the PIP 2003/04 for grounds maintenance, Meole Brace Golf course, public conveniences, refuse, recycling, street cleansing, development control, burial and cremations, finance services, human resources, legal services, museums, our housing strategy and enabling role, environmental health and customer focus (interim). All these improvement plans focus on the effects on the end user through the service improvements proposed. In 2004/05 the review programme will focus on a Borough of environmental excellence carrying through community strategy priorities and the requirements to meet LPSA targets for example on recycling.
139. The Council keeps current and future projects under review in the light of external events or other impacts to meet, maintain and focus priorities and reflect changes in community expectations. For example, options for a new theatre were reassessed in the light of a potential development by Dunedin in September 2003. The Council's approach to partnerships together with exit strategies are under review by the Policy and Performance Overview Committee.
140. The Council has reviewed the Community Strategy after its first year of operation and is participating in the review of the Integrated Community Strategy for Shropshire to reflect local priorities. The current focus on the Environmental Centre of Excellence theme links to the County wide priorities on environment.
141. Supplementing the Council’s Corporate Plan, the Cabinet has agreed a clear set of priorities towards which it will direct resources. Decisions have also been taken about non-priority areas. CMT monitor the resources available to services and seek to ensure that resources are directed towards the Council’s priorities. For example, a key priority is the preservation and use of the Borough's historic assets and members are not afraid to make difficult decisions to achieve this, e.g. the future use of the Old Market Hall; use of statutory powers to protect the Flaxmill; and consultation on the new entertainment venue.
142. Effective monitoring of the performance of strategies and policies is recognised as essential to assessing future plans and Cabinet considers reports from the portfolio holders on the delivery of services within their portfolio every three months. This allows members to take a view on the performance of each of the services against actions identified in the PIP. The PIP sets out our performance, big issues, targets and achievements is reviewed annually and is therefore able to reflect changes in national and community priorities. As well as consultation on key strategies/plans, the Council uses information gathered from events such as the Shrewsbury Conference held annually in October, information from the People's Panel, satisfaction surveys etc. to inform service delivery.
143. Through arrangements with the County Council, monitoring of development within the Borough is undertaken annually, however, the Council recognises that there is room for improvement in this area and is currently developing in house systems to better monitor the targets set out in the local plan. The Council is amongst the first authorities to be moving forward with the new Local Development Framework system that will provide for more proactive planning policies that can be reviewed every three years in the light of any changes in national or community expectations.
144. The plans do evaluate future capacity which is evidenced by the medium term financial plan22, the five year HR Strategy48, capital investment decisions, the capital programme50 and the projected delivery of Big Issues to 201220. Training programme for officers and members and introduction of programme of management competencies for service managers which will then cascade through organisation to assist in the delivery of the training programme to meet the needs and identify future resource requirements beyond the initial HR Strategy.
145. The improvement planning process as part of Best Value and service development generally takes place each year as part of producing the Performance and Improvement Plan reviewing priorities and customer satisfaction/consultation feedback. Where we do not meet targets consideration is given to what can be done. If something can be achieved a plan of action is agreed, finance and resources found then implementation takes place. The budget concentrates on priority issues. Tourism which was an area of non-priority and a failing service in the public’s mind has been the subject of an external study with actions proposed. The Council is now providing finance for that as a priority. For example, the Council is working with the private sector to explore the development of tourist facilities at the Quarry, and with the Railway Trust to consider the restoration of a former railway building near the Abbey as an information centre/museum to be operated by the trust.