TEMPLATE FOR REPORT TO SELECT COMMITTEES

PAPER B1

Committee : EDUCATION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND LIFELONG LEARNING SELECT COMMITTEE

Date : 29 AUGUST 2002

Title : SERVICE PLANS AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS – PLANNING AND RESOURCES

REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

SUMMARY / PURPOSE :

This report summarises information on the 2002/03 Service Plan for Planning and Resources service together with information and commentary on past performance in 2001/02.

BACKGROUND

Service Plans have been prepared to a standard format for all major service areas within the authority. The Plans contain a range of information including :

Details of services provided
Resources
Staff structure
Service aims, objectives, tasks and targets

Following preparation of a Corporate Plan (draft approved for consultation at Executive on July 2^nd 2002), a revised Service Plan format is to be introduced for the next financial year – this will ensure that service activities directly link to the approved corporate goals.

The Council also collects a diverse range of information regarding service performance through both national and local Performance Indicators (PIs) which are published each year in the Best Value Performance Plan (BVPP). In the 2001/02 BVPP, a “traffic light” system has been introduced to classify PIs by the following categories :

Better than average and improving
Better than average and worsening
Worse than average and improving
Worse than average and worsening

SERVICE PLAN

Attached to this report (Annex 1), members will find summary information for the following service areas :

· Financial Services

- Services to Schools

- Services for the Directorate

· Client Services

- Higher Education Student Support

- School Admissions

- Home to School/College Transport

- Early Years Funding

- Administration of Free School Meals

- Computer Databases

- Education Reception

· Premises Development

- School Organisation Plan (SOP)

- Asset Management

- Specific Adaptations to Buildings

- Maintenance

· ICT/Information Services

- SIMS (Schools Information Management System)

- ICT Central Support

- EMS (Education Management System)

- NGfL Infrastructure

· Personnel

The information provided in Annex 1 includes :

Numerical indicators, targets & standards & comparisons (Section 7 of the Plan)
Performance achievements (Sections 8a and 8b of the Plan)
Service aims, objectives, tasks and targets (Section 11 of the Plan)

Members should note the following :

Most of these services are responding to a ‘change agenda’ eg

- Increased use of ICT for communication, learning and data analysis.

- New funding arrangements for schools and LEA.

- Impact of Disability Discrimination Act.

Members are invited to comment upon the Service Plan. Areas for enquiry may include :

Does it support achievement of the Council’s mission “to improve Island life”?
Does it give a clear view of the service aims and targets?
Are the targets sufficiently “stretching” and do they meet identified priorities and needs?
Does it provide sufficient information to inform members decisions on budget priorities?

PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Also attached to this report (Annex 2), are the Performance Indicators for the Select Committees areas of responsibility. These have been categorised into the 4 “traffic light” groupings described earlier. A fifth category (“unclassified) has been added to include those PIs where it is not possible to make a performance judgement.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

None as a direct result of this report.

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Committee :

1. Consider and comment upon the Service Plan

2. Consider and comment upon the Performance Indicators for the service and identifies priority areas for improvement

BACKGROUND PAPERS

Best Value Performance Plan, 2001/02

Contact point :

Kim Johnson

Assistant Director, Head of Planning and Resources

Strategic Director of Education and Community Development

ANNEX 1 : SERVICE PLAN

7. STATEMENT OF PERFORMANCE 1

NUMERIC INDICATORS, TARGETS AND STANDARDS

Performance Indicator and Source	Performance			Benchmarking
Performance Indicator and Source	Actual 01/02	Estimate 02/03	Target (& Date)	Comparative Performance (Date)	Source of Comparison
BV.31 Individual schools budget as a percentage of Local Schools Budget	86.2%	87%	87% April (2002)	82.6% (2000-1)	New Unitaries Benchmarking Group (NUB)
BV34a Primary schools 25% + surplus places	4.3%	0.0%	0.0%	8.0% (00/01)	NUB
BV34b Secondary schools 25% + surplus places	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0% (00/01)	NUB
DfES Expenditure Tests per pupil : Delegated Funding	£2,597	£2,675	£2,675 (April ’02)	£2,523 (01/02)	DfES Comparative Tables June 2001
Administration Costs	£37.00	£39.00	£39.00 April ’02)	£50.00 (01/02)	DfES Comparative Tables June 2001
Local Schools Budget (LSB)	£3,013	£3,100	£3,100 (April ’02)	£2,922 (01/02)	DfES Comparative Tables June 2001

8. STATEMENT OF PERFORMANCE 2

NON NUMERIC PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS OR AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Please give a short explanation, with figures if possible.

During last 12 months

Achievements:

Client Services BV Inspection confirmed that it provided a “good service with excellent prospects”; new Admissions Policy disseminated and administered successfully (March 2002).

Financial Services: successful relocation of financial advisers for schools; creation of an Open Forum for targeted assistance to schools; achievement of previous targets to improve support for SEN and Early Years; exceeding delegation target.

Education Personnel: 100% buy-back of personnel services by schools.

ICT/Information: Service has “great strengths and is amongst the best seen nationally” (HMI 2001). Completion of hardware infrastructure targets; production of an Information Development Plan.

Premises Development: new Asset Management Plan completed; range of suitability and condition data obtained.

Areas for Improvement:

Client Services to review relationship with County Transport to achieve improved budget management and control.

Financial Services: successful embedding of the Common Financial Reporting (CFR) initiative; managing change implied by the separate SSA funding of schools and LEAs.

Education Personnel: application for Investors In People (IIP) status.

ICT/Information: creation of a consistent methodology for recording information projects.

Premises Development: recording of project briefs and written outcomes.

Over last 1 to 3 years

Achievements:

Client Services commended for the quality of service provided (OfSTED 2000); full charter mark status (February 2001); Crystal Mark for admissions booklet and HE support information booklet (2002).

Financial Services: development of team-working and flexibility in the context of continuing change.

ICT/Information: all hardware and software upgrades have been completed for schools; Outlook installed; all NGFL deadlines have been met. Amongst best practice seen nationally (HMI 2001).

Premises Development: completion of capital programme; service provides a national benchmark for high quality delivery (OfSTED 2000)

11. STRATEGIC AIMS & OBJECTIVES FOR THE SERVICE

Service Aim	Tasks	Targets and Dates	Responsible Officer	Objectives to Which This Task Contributes
Service Aim	Tasks	Targets and Dates	Responsible Officer	Directorate	Corporate
1. To provide accessible, efficient and inclusive services for clients in Education (Client Services).	1.1.Implement new admissions policy.	All pupils allocated by 08/02	M Goswell	ST12 Obj26 ST14 Obj30 ST29 Obj59	Improving access to services.
	1.2.Adapt existing policy following government legislation.	New policy by 09/03.	M Goswell	ST12 Obj26 ST27 Obj55	“ “
	1.3.To provide more accessible and inclusive services.	Extended services on-line by 12/02.	M Goswell	ST12 Obj26 ST14 Obj30 ST22 Obj45 ST23 Obj46	“ “
	1.4.Develop further the efficient use of resources.	Multi-skilled team by 06/02.	M Goswell, J Adams and L Goldsbrough	ST29 Obj59	Ensuring Quality Infrastructure.
2. To help ensure a quality infrastructure for information, communication and learning (ICT/Information)	2.1.Secure means of updating Island Intranet/Internet site.	Consultant appointed (04/02). Support group structure (09/02).	R McCarty	Contribute to most STs and objectives.	Ensuring Quality Infrastructure.
	2.2.Improve data links with Thompson House.	Fully commissioned Broadband link by 07/02	S Linington	ST11 Obj22 ST12 Obj27 ST14 Obj30 ST27 Obj55	“ “
	2.3.Examine data needs of Early Years and SEN sections.	Discussion by 07/02. Solutions by 10/02. Implementation by 01/03.	S Linington	ST20 Obj40 ST18 Obj38	“ “
	2.4.Develop central systems.	PULSE by 09/02. FMS by 09/02	A Jupe R McCarty	ST 1 Obj1 ST11 Obj22 ST22 Obj43 ST27 Obj55	“ “

Service Aim	Tasks	Targets and Dates	Responsible Officer	Objectives to Which This Task Contributes
Service Aim	Tasks	Targets and Dates	Responsible Officer	Directorate	Corporate
3. To improve access, for all stakeholders in public sector education, to a high quality learning environment in which skills and learning are developed and inequalities reduced. (Premises Development)	3.1.Implement Capital Starts Programme.	Range of completion dates relating to each school’s project.	I Downer	ST26 Obj51-53 ST27 Obj54-56 ST26 Obj53 ST27 Obj54	Access to quality services and facilities.
	3.2.Hit DfES deadlines on Asset Management Plan development and revision.	Condition surveys (10/02). Suitability surveys (12/02). Sufficiency measures (6/02).	J Clark	ST26 Obj53 ST27 Obj54	“ “
	3.3.Monitor new Grounds Maintenance Contracts.	Continuous.	N Leppard	ST14 Obj30 ST26 Obj51	“ “
	3.4.Audit disabled access and provide plans in line with Code of Practice.	Audit complete by 03/02. Plan complete by 07/02.	A Seaward	ST14 Obj30 ST15 Obj31 ST16 Obj32 ST18 Obj38	Reducing Inequalities
4. To assist in providing a quality infrastructure for schools’ and Central Personnel (Education Personnel)	4.1.Assist schools with staffing and pay issues.	Teacher Recruitment Plan by 03/02. Upper Pay Spine Advice 05/02.	J Gardner	ST2 Obj7 ST3 Obj10	Ensuring Quality Infrastructure.
	4.2.Directorate application for IIP status.	Awareness raising by 02/02. Application by 04/02. Assessment by 07/02.	J Gardner and K Johnson	ST24 Obj47	Developing Learning and Skills.
	4.3.Review the range and nature of delegated services.	Questionnaire analysed by J Gardner November 2002	J Gardner	ST22 Obj43 Obj44	Ensuring Quality Infrastructure.

Service Aim	Tasks	Targets and Dates	Responsible Officer	Objectives to Which This Task Contributes
Service Aim	Tasks	Targets and Dates	Responsible Officer	Directorate	Corporate
5. To provide a quality infrastructure of financial services thus enabling all educational functions to exist in the most productive context.	5.1.Reinforce Open Forum and introduce Schools Forum.	Open Forum achieving 75% attendance, 100% dissemination. Schools Forum extant by October 2002.	A King K Johnson	ST3 Objective 8	Ensuring quality infrastructure.
	5.2.Implement Phases 2 and 3 of the CFR.	100% compatibility of LEA/School systems by October 2002.	A Moffat	ST3 Objective 8	Ensuring quality infrastructure.
	5.3.Review relationship between LSC funding and total school budgets.	Predictive data collected October 2002. Governor/Management understanding of LSC impact (Sept 2002).	K Johnson A King	ST6 Objective 13	Ensuring quality infrastructure.
	5.4.Review external funding streams in order to maximise income.	Agreed schedule by September 2002.	A King and A Cooke	ST9 Objective 18	Improving access and developing Learning and Skills.
	5.5.Revise accounting and budget structure upon implementation of SEN outreach.	Mapped structure by October 2002.	A King	ST18 Objective 38	Reducing inequalities.
	5.6.Review and evaluate funding changes.	Identify necessary changes September 2002.	A King and K Johnson	ST22 Objective 43	Ensuring quality infrastructure.