Performance management framework

Performance management begins with a clear vision.

The Council’s corporate Vision is contained in our Corporate Plan for 2019-23:

Wyre Forest is a network of thriving and confident communities which minimise their impact on the environment, where people have a decent and affordable home, feel safe and enjoy a good quality of life. 

This Vision is underpinned by our agreed values, which influence the way we work and lie at the heart of everything we do:

Our Values

Be honest

• We are honest, say what we mean and are always courteous
• We challenge others' ideas constructively and respect decisions once made

Invest in our workforce

• We identify what skills are needed and develop our employees
• We understand our development is a shared responsibility and give ourselves time to learn

Be supportive

• We work together and openly help each other
• We encourage a supportive environment

The Council’s priorities are set out in the Corporate Plan and are informed by national and regional priorities as well as those of the Sustainable Community Strategies for the district and county.

Service Standards, Focus areas for Improvement, Measures, Service Outdoors

1. National priorities - Central Government
2. Regional priorities - West Midlands region
3. Community/area priorities - District and county sustainable community strategies
4. Council priorities - Corporate Plan
5. Council action - Annual Wyre Forest Forward programme of work
6. Individual performance - My development review scheme

The Council’s focus must be how we and our partners can achieve positive outcomes for our communities - to improve their quality of life and the services we provide for them.

When planning, the Council must ensure it understands the District, our communities and their needs based on a detailed knowledge of key demographic data/customer satisfaction and perceptions. As a Community Leader, the Council should engage with and share information, where applicable, with partners. 

We must also be aware of available resources, anticipated risks and levels of current performance when setting Priorities and developing Plans.

The Council’s services are delivered through plans and strategies at all levels, both independently and in partnership with other service providers. Our Wyre Forest Forward Annual Programme of Work (no. 5 above) are the principal means of delivering services on the ground, and provide a link between our high-level Vision and strategic priorities and team/individual performance. 

Our Priorities

The Council has agreed 3 priorities in its Corporate Plan for 2019-23, which support the corporate Vision.

• safe, clean and green living environment 
• Supporting a successful local economy
• Good quality and affordable homes for all

Organisational commitment is demonstrated through the allocation of responsibilities and resources.

Members’ responsibilities are set out in the Council’s Constitution and the Political Structure. Officers’ responsibilities are contained in the Constitution, Job Descriptions and the Wyre Forest Forward Annual Programme of Work developed alongside the annual budget process.

Ownership of responsibility is further supported by:

• The My Development Review scheme to link organisational targets and actions with those of individual employees
• Commitment to training and development through the Annual Training Plan and Training Budget
• Adoption of a competency-based management development framework

A summary of performance management roles is given in Appendix 1

Financial resources are allocated to the Council’s Priorities through the Medium Term Financial Strategy and annual Revenue and Capital Budgets. Resources provided by other bodies are secured through external funding bids. 

Commitments towards achieving District and County Sustainable Community Strategy priorities is demonstrated through membership of Boards, Task Groups and Officer Working Groups.

Services are delivered in accordance with our strategies and plans, having regard to the following:

• Service standards (where agreed), published to inform stakeholders of the minimum level of service to be expected
• SMART action targets to achieve planned improvements in service levels
• Measures to monitor service-delivery in practice and to help focus attention on areas most in need of improvement
• Strategic outcomes, for example increased prosperity or community safety

Dedicated performance management software (Pentana Performance) helps to provide consistency and better access to information regarding ownership, service activity and measures, and to improve monitoring and reporting procedures.

A Data Quality Strategy has also been developed to ensure the proper collection, recording, analysis and reporting of data for performance management purposes.

Feedback and other information generated in delivering services enables us to actively monitor performance and report as necessary to Committees, management & operational teams, individuals, members of the public and external agencies. This is undertaken in accordance with the frequencies shown in Appendix 2

Results of service performance are published internally and externally in the Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee reports.

Reviewing and taking corrective action are essential steps as they distinguish performance management from performance monitoring. Action taken is recorded to provide an audit trail and evidence of improvement, and could include any or all of the following:

• Reassessing the need for a particular service
• Re-designing standards, measures and targets
• Reviewing systems and processes
• Re-evaluating resource requirements

Customer feedback is used to support the review process, while benchmarking with other service providers helps to set Council performance into context by comparing processes and measure results, for example when carrying out service reviews or value-for-money exercises.

Implementation of this Framework is overseen by the Corporate Leadership Team.

Benchmarking
A measurement or standard that serves as a point of reference by which performance is measured. A structured approach for identifying the best practices and more efficient and effective processes

Outcomes
A measurable, external consequence attributed to an organisation, policy, program or initiative (i.e. the results of activities and outputs)

Outputs
The product (goods, money, materials or services) of an activity

Measures
Quantitative or qualitative monitoring of a service

Priorities
Objectives or targets which are the most important for the organisation or individual to deliver

Standards
Minimum level of service to be provided and which service users can reasonably expect

Targets
The level of performance that the organisation or individual aims to achieve

Values
The beliefs within the organisation as demonstrated through the day-to-day behaviours of all employees. An organisation's values make an open proclamation about how it expects everyone to behave

Vision
A statement that captures what the organisation wants to achieve overall in the longer-term (5 – 10 years)