Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations, and including the establishment of a Task and Finish Group, as agreed at Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to undertake quality assurance work on the targets.

The Chief Executive introduced Mr Goodlad to the meeting to present the details behind the Certificate of Compliance on the audit of the 2014-15 Improvement Plan.

Mr Goodlad explained that detailed feedback was previously presented to Councils however in 2014, the Wales Audit Office (WAO) revised its feedback arrangements and began issuing brief Certificates of Compliance on Improvement Plans.  Members of the Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee had asked for a detailed analysis of the 2014-15 Improvement Plan, details of which were contained in the presentation.  The Chief Executive added that the presentation was also delivered to Members of the Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee the previous week.

                        Mr Goodlad delivered a detailed presentation, with the main features being as follows:-

• Context and Background
• Summary
• The Council had addressed the key areas of concern highlighted in the September 2013 Improvement Assessment Letter from WAO
• Improvement Objectives and sub-priorities within the Plan were (with a few exceptions) generally clear and robust
• Achievement measures did not always clearly reflect planning achievements/outcomes
• A few inconsistencies between aspirations to improve and the targets set for 2014-15
• In the few cases, the ‘bigger impact’ expected from the Plan was not apparent
• A minority of targets set for 2014-15 did not appear to be challenging
• In the significant majority of cases, the Council should be able to clearly demonstrate achievement of each improvement objective and sub-priority
• Gaining access to, and awareness of, the Improvement Plan and its key messages may be challenging for some stakeholders
• Proposals for Improvement

On gaining awareness of the Improvement Plan for vulnerable citizens, Members commented that this was underway in many areas, such as through Communities First, Flying Start, Member’s newsletters, Social Workers and Flintshire Connects centres.

Members also commented on the difficultly of improving targets in an increasing difficult financial situation.  Mr Goodlad responded that producing additional outputs for the same cost or maintaining performance with reduced budgets would be considered as an improvement.

The Chief Executive explained that the Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee had resolved that a Task and Finish Group be set up to look at quality assurance work on the targets within the Improvement Plan which was agreed by Cabinet Members.

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance said that since the Improvement Plan had been written, the Council had received notice of a 4.5% reduction in grants and the future would be about delivering less with less and the protection of services.  He welcomed the comments on the Improvement Plan however he queried the remark on the requirement to subscribe in order to gain online access to the new Your Council newsletter.  Mr Goodlad said that was incorrect and had been a misunderstanding.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the positive Certificate of Compliance from the Auditor General for Wales in respect of the audit of the 2014-15 Improvement Plan be noted;

(b)       That the Council’s Executive response be noted and agreed; and

(c)        That the establishment of a Task and Finish Group to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45