Agenda item

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Bryan Davies presented the Draft Performance Management Policy Statement and Performance Management Framework report. Rob Starr, Research and Performance Manager, Diana Davies, Corporate Manager, and Alun Williams, Corporate Lead Officer, were also present to answer any questions from Committee Members.

Over the last four years the Council has been strengthening its approach to corporate performance management as part of its ongoing “performance journey”. It has:

Ø  Introduced a new streamlined business planning process, 

Ø  Introduced new performance dashboards to monitor progress against level 1 business plans through Performance Board,

Ø  Reinvigorated the Teifi Performance System,

Ø  Updated the performance management process following COVID-19 to include “reflective practice” as a core element.

This is reflected in the positive feedback received from Audit Wales to the Council’s approach to performance management.

Recent legislation, in the form of the new Self-Assessment based performance regime has also necessitated a new way of assessing our overall performance. A new Self-Assessment process was successfully introduced in 2022/23 and the Council’s first Self-Assessment Report was published in January 2023.

Having introduced these new processes, the Council is now able to pull these together into a Draft Performance Management Framework document.

A Performance Management Framework is considered best practice and explains:

Ø  How the corporate performance management process works,

Ø  How the individual processes align to support corporate planning,

Ø  How performance management is used to deliver the Corporate Well-being Objectives and improved outcomes.

The aim of the Framework is twofold.

1) to provide the Council with a standardised approach to managing performance, and,

2) as a key part of the audit trail to demonstrate that the Council has robust performance management arrangements in place.

The Performance Framework is accompanied by a Performance Management Policy Statement. The Statement sets out the guiding principles of the Council’s approach to performance management going forward and takes account of the new legislation and best practice. It highlights the fundamental role performance management plays in securing improved outcomes for the people and communities of Ceredigion, in supporting policy setting and in evidence-based decision-making.

Following discussion, the following was noted:

Ø  In response to a question, it was confirmed that the Performance Board quarterly meetings are continuing,

Ø  In response to a question, it was confirmed that there are and continue to be limited monitoring performance measures in place with comparisons from neighbouring and similar size Local Authorities,

Ø  Following a question, it was confirmed that the previous national Performance Accountability Measures (PAMs) are now obsolete following the introduction of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021. However, Data Cymru are leading a project to replace the measures with a new Self-Assessment Data Tool which will provide national benchmarking data. Further work will continue to develop the tool over the next couple of years and Ceredigion is being proactive in supporting the project.  

Members agreed to recommend that Cabinet:

Ø  To receive and endorse the Draft Performance Management Policy Statement and Performance Management Framework.

In order to adopt an updated Performance Management Policy Statement and Performance Management Framework which outlines the guiding principles for performance management in the Council.

The Chairman thanked the Leader of the Council and Officers for the report and for the continued good work.