Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Date of Decision: September 30, 2025

Purpose: To note the annual performance report which measures progress of the Council Plan.

Content:  The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Corporate Services, which sought to update on the Council’s performance on delivering the Council Plan, which had been agreed in 2023.   The Head of Corporate Policy, Performance and Improvement and the Assistant Director (Interim) Communications and Policy were in attendance to present the information and to address the questions and the comments of the Cabinet Members.   The Officers informed that the report set out the strategic context and a summary of what had been delivered since the Council Plan had been agreed as well as a summary of the Council’s financial performance over the 2024-2025.   The report also contained information on a set of agreed key performance indicators (KPIs) (appendix A to the report). As this was the first annual report of the new Council Plan, the KPIs were established as baselines. Finally, the report also set out key achievements and ‘real life’ examples of work the Council had done and which had contributed to the delivery of the Council Plan.   Resolved: 1.     That the progress made on a range of measures since the Council Plan had been agreed be noted; 2.     That the set of key performance indicators as measures of the performance of the Council Plan be noted.   Reason for decision: Performance management was needed to ensure that the Council was delivering its priorities, which would in turn improve services and outcomes for the borough’s residents, businesses and other key stakeholders. Delivering effective performance management was a key way in which the Council could take responsibility for its own performance. It also helped the public and the Government to hold local the local authority to account, ensuring that it was responding to local needs and that public money was being spent effectively.   A key recommendation of the Council’s 2023 Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Review was to ensure more regular reporting to members on performance. A key action to deliver that recommendation was the production of a report with a suite of KPIs to monitor. The LGA had further recommended the report should be accompanied with a section on financial performance.    It had been recommended that the Council continued to refresh the KPIs at regular intervals. This was particularly pertinent in light of the Government ‘s new draft Local Government Outcomes Framework. Finally, this report provided the first update on progress and achievements since the Council Plan was agreed by members as well as a brief summary of financial performance. A process for regular monitoring of data was being developed with a view to more regular reports being provided at suitable intervals throughout the year.   Alternatives considered and rejected: None.