Agenda item

Report of The Town Clerk.

Members received a Joint Report of the Chamberlain and the Town Clerk concerning the Economy, Efficiency and Effectiveness (EEE) Health Checks.

Members reiterated that existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were not, on their own, an effective way to measure departmental targets, and so welcomed the Report and the initiative behind EEE health checks as a step in the right direction.

Additionally, Members emphasised that an ongoing concern had been the way Business Plans had, hitherto, been approved virtually on the nod. Officers had to take “ownership” of the Plans as a “living document”, and Members should be given more help in scrutinising these Plans. 

Officers emphasised that progress had been slow due to the availability of appropriate benchmarking and performance data; this varied significantly across departments, but, as the process beds in over 2018-19, it was anticipated that this will improve – “small steps at the micro level are being made, the macro level is not quite there”.

Furthermore, Members asked the Chief Officers present at the meeting how effective were the Chief Officers Peer Reviews (COPR); officers were of the view that these sessions were helpful, as “talking and sharing” is a useful process. The challenge now was to identify ways in which their departments can work together across the piece, and how effective challenge could be provided in future.

RESOLVED – that Members noted the Report.