Best Value Performance & Efficiency Sub-committee Of The Policy & Resources Committee - 16/12/2008

At a MEETING of the BEST VALUE PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 16th December, 2008.

APPENDIX

Present:-

BAILIES

COUNCILLORS

Councillor Kevin KEENAN, Convener, in the Chair.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

I BEST VALUE REVIEW OF RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS AND EXTERNAL RESIDENTIAL PLACEMENTS

There was submitted Report No 637-2008 by the Director of Social Work advising the Sub-Committee on the conclusions, recommendations and findings of the Best Value Review Group on residential schools and external residential placements.

The Sub-Committee noted the findings and the recommendations as outlined below and agreed that these recommendations be remitted for consideration of the Social Work and Health Committee:-

(i) The internal decision-making process within the local authority for making external residential placements, be shared with Childrens Panel members as part of a training event in February, 2009;

(ii) The draft contractual framework for internal residential placements be developed to ensure greater clarity about what could be expected from providers in relation to cost and outcomes form children;

(iii) A joint decision making process across the local authority and health be developed for external residential placements;

(iv) Benchmarking information with other authorities be used to further explore how one or two authorities have been able to control the increase in external residential placements and associated costs;

(v) The outcome of the option appraisal of The Elms Secure and Close Support Unit be implemented;

(vi) A review take place of the Intensive Support and Monitoring Service (ISMS), Rowans Resource Team and the Community Support Team as well as the family support teams;

(vii) The concept of flexible learning packages be progressed;

(viii) A review of Gillburn Road Residential Respite facility for children with disabilities be completed as quickly as possible;

(ix) A review of the Throughcare and Aftercare Service be concluded;

(x) NHS Tayside continue to progress work which would aim to provide improved services on a local basis;

(xi) Discussions with a voluntary organisation be progressed to establish the feasibility of a Pan Tayside Residential facility for children aged 8-12;

(xii) Further discussion take place with another voluntary organisations to develop an accommodation and assessment service for children and parents affected by substance misuse; and

(xiii) A commissioning strategy be produced based on the logic model of matching needs and services.

II QUARTERLY MONITORING REPORT ON PROGRESS WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN

There was submitted Report No 603-2008 by the Assistant Chief Executive advising the Sub-Committee on progress to date with the objectives, projects and reviews contained in the Council Plan 2007/2011.

The Sub-Committee agreed to:-

(i) note the content of the report, including the attached tables which detailed the progress made on the Council Plan 2007/2011; and

(ii) agree that, as part of the commitment to Pubic Performance Reporting, the information on progress be added to the copy of the Council Plan which appeared on the Council website, and copies of the report be made available to partner organisations and local groups on request.

III KEY QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 2008/2009 - PERFORMANCE REPORT FOR HALF YEAR TO 30TH SEPTEMBER, 2008

There was submitted Report No 616-2008 by the Head of Finance advising the Sub-Committee of the performance of Dundee City Council for the six months to 30th September, 2008, the first half of the current financial year.

The Sub-Committee agreed to note that performance levels in the first half of the new financial year had generally been maintained or improved. It was also agreed that all Chief Officers review the content of Appendix 1 to the report as it related to their service and consider if there were any indicators for which performance could be improved.

IV EFFICIENCY DIAGNOSTIC STUDY

There was submitted Report No 631-2008 by the Chief Executive advising the Sub-Committee on the conclusion of the Efficiency Diagnostic Study.

The Sub-Committee agreed that:-

(i) the projects listed in Section 4.3 of the report be adopted as the Councils efficiency programme and governed by the Improvements and Efficiency Board;

(ii) an officer Best Value Review be established to consider the Fleet Maintenance options;

(iii) an officer Best Value Review be established to develop how the Council could benefit from flexible/mobile and home working;

(iv) the programme of lean service reviews as set out in Section 5.3 of the report be commenced; and

(v) the efficiency gains achieved from the programme be recorded in the Councils annual efficiency statement.

V PUBLIC SECTOR IMPROVEMENT FRAMEWORK

There was submitted Report No 632-2008 by the Assistant Chief Executive recommending that the Council adopt the Public Sector Improvement Framework as its approach to self-assessment to deliver continuous improvement.

The Sub-Committee agreed that Dundee City Council join the Public Sector Improvement Framework, which was managed by the Improvement Services and supported by Quality Scotland.

Kevin KEENAN, Convener.