To consider performance monitoring information for the first quarter of 2015/16.

The Executive Member for Social Care and Housing introduced the Q1 performance report for April to June 2015 that showed an overall strong performance by the service.  Members were reminded that the new 5-Year plan would give the Committee an opportunity to refresh the KPIs included in future performance reporting.  A member recommended that a simple KPI dashboard be made available to scrutiny alongside "plans on a page" against the core drivers of these KPI's.  This would allow scrutiny more visibility on the information required to set an independent agenda ie scrutiny members would understand better what items it would like to increase focus on to maximise the value of the meeting. 

A Member raised concern regarding the timeliness of the performance report and requested that the Committee be circulated with up-to-date information at future meetings.  Members also recommended a different reporting style to present performance data.

Members queried whether the increase in the number of schools judged to require improvement was a result of the change in inspection criteria by Ofsted.  The Director advised the increase was due to a more stringent framework introduced by Ofsted and noted that three schools in the require improvement Ofsted category are the three Dunstable schools which are closing.  The Director agreed to circulate a list of all schools and their most recent Ofsted inspection judgement.

A member identified that whilst the national position on GCSE results was positive for CBC, against our Statistical Neighbours we had fallen 2 places to 9th out of 11.

RECOMMENDED

1.    That updated performance information be provided at meetings in the future.

2.    That a new style of performance reporting be considered for future meetings.

3.    That a list of schools Ofsted judgements be circulated to Members of the Committee for information.