This is the first time
that the City Council
has reviewed –
- its expenditure,
- its performance, and
- its ways of working –
for the previous financial year
in one debate;
and within 3 months of the year end.
A step forward,
although I’m told I won’t be overwhelmed with gratitude.
Only this month at a CIPFA conference,
Roger Latham, Nottinghamshire’s Chief Executive,
“but no-one reads our Statement of Accounts!”
Roger was not ridiculing those who might read the report,
but responding to the latest Gov’t agenda.
Government wants local government to emulate the private sector on annual reporting.
But without sufficient recognition
that our ways of working are different.
We publish budgets, and put a great deal of effort into them. The private sector keeps that to themselves.
Nevertheless, we should review.
And the three reports tell a story,
That is most decidedly a story of last year,
and we should reflect on what has happened.
Market pressures in the provision of services for this city’s most challenged and challenging children, and
in helping adults most in need,
has threatened the overall budget.
As early as quarter 1,
the City Council delayed spending in other areas,
as Social Services spend was brought back under control.
In the circumstances, a cautious view was also taken on corporate financing transactions,
the outturns of which are difficult to predict with sufficient confidence.
As it happens,
the actual outturns on these transactions all came in on the optimistic end of the tolerances used,
and the City Council did not use nearly £3 million of the money available to it.
With the control being exerted in Social Services,
and with other departments such as Education,
showing a better financial discipline,
we can commit to use most of the underspends this year,
and some £200k of the remainder
will be committed to “Nottingham Stands Together”.
I will ask for a further review of our ability to predict outturns,
But have until today,
given a higher priority to the production of the accounts,
to what is an accelerated deadline,
so that accounts could be considered alongside performance.
The pressures in Social Services did result in worsening indicators,
but compare and contrast this with other cities,
that have gone into deficit and arguably crisis,
because of pressures in Social Services.
The story of Bristol particularly stands out.
On performance elsewhere and overall,
there is good progress.
For the second year running,
over half of the key indicators have improved.
Indeed, over the last 2 years,
Over three quarters of the indicators have improved.
A determination to do better is part of the explanation.
As is extra finance,
although much of that has come with extra commitments.
But the deciding factor,
has been to embrace the challenge being posed,
by Gov’t and inspectors alike,
on meeting higher expectations on performance.
A range of measures and techniques have been applied.
The Planning framework, requiring monthly management reporting,
and quarterly public reporting, of performance.
Boosting the capacity of our most senior managers,
tapping upon extensive experience of service improvement elsewhere.
Underpinning our new ways of working,
with the Gearing Up programme,
backed up by Team Nottingham meetings, and
the five culture change values and
the “Actions Speak Louder than Words” events.
Investing in our service managers
so they have more skills and support to achieve higher standards.
All has have contributed to better performance,
and many achievements,
which I look to colleagues to raise in debate.
But I think Housing Benefits stands out, and
should be celebrated.
A resolve to improve,
member support, and
use of external capacity
has led to processing new applications,
in one-fifth of the time.
Congratulations to all involved.
Much to celebrate,
but much to do,
in an era of continued challenge.
We need to reflect, evaluate, learn and act.
And I look forward to such disciplines being emphasised during the current SMLG exercise.
I am struck at the continued challenge
that the collation and reporting of indicators still seems to represent,
so today I’m asking for this information
to be kept in one place, on-line, available via the intranet,
and in place by the end of December.
I also think our commitment to the planning framework, and
improved service management,
needs a similar approach, and
have asked for this to be in place by the end of September.
I’m grateful for many of the comments from Scrutiny and
schedules of resultant changes were distributed this morning.
Next year, we should try to sequence the necessary meetings
to review the end of year reports more carefully.
Process is a means to the end.
But the end is what we’re about.
Best ever exam results.
More help for the needy.
The tram.
Better library service and better parks.
Highest recycling rates.
Housing benefits.
Much to celebrate.
And now we have 4 more years of Labour Government to do more with.
I commend the reports to Council.
Ends.
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