Performance Information

Performance Information

Covered in this section:

• Performance Indicators
• IBC Approach
• Analysis of Service Performance Information
• Data Quality
• How Ipswich compares with other authorities
• BVPI General Satisfaction Survey 2006

Performance Indicators

These are a set of standards or measurements against which local authorities manage their performance.

There are two types of indicator: -

• National indicators, on which local authorities are required to report annually to the Government
• Local indicators which authorities determine themselves.

The Government has adopted five 'dimensions' of performance: -

• Strategic objectives - why the service exists and what it seeks to achieve.
• Cost/efficiency - what resources are committed to a service and how they are used.
• Service delivery outcomes.
• Quality of the service, reflecting users' experience.
• Fair access - ease and quality of access to service.

Local Performance Indicators allow authorities to reflect local priorities and tailor Best Value to suit local circumstances. The Audit Commission has developed indicators for cross cutting issues of broader social outcomes and quality of life. More information on national indicators can be found on the Communities and Local Government website (opens in a new window)

Back to the top

Ipswich Borough Council's Approach to Performance Indicators.

All service areas at the Council are required to produce an Operational Service Area Performance Plan which is reviewed annually, and outlines performance levels achieved in the previous year and sets targets for the following year. Performance is measured against a variety of indicators, both national and local.

As part of Best Value Service Reviews, Council services are required to monitor their performance against other similar providers of services, using performance indicators as the main basis of comparison. These indicators tend to be output or outcome indicators and are agreed with the other benchmarking partners. Level of performance for all Council Services are published annually in the Best Value Performance Plan. The data included in the BVPP allows the following to be measured:

• Level of performance achieved by the service area for each indicator.
• Comparative performance over a three year period.
• Ipswich Borough Council's performance compared with the top 25% of all district councils in England.
• Ipswich Borough Council's performance compared with the top 25% of similar local authorities.

Back to the top

District CPA - Analysis of Service Performance Information

This is a tool which helps the Audit Commission or Council decide whether to undertake a new corporate assessment or CPA. (What is CPA?)

The tool sets out improvement and current performance on a set of performance indicators (PIs). The tool analyses improvement in PIs by:

• the number of PIs that are improving
• if the improvement is substantial, or better than expected
• if the improvement is seen in areas of previously weak performance or local priorities.

The extent of improvement is based on a basket of PIs. It measures the degree to which there is a consistent direction of travel across the council's basket of PIs. Improvement is calculated by taking the number of PIs in the basket that have improved since the starting year and dividing that by number of PIs in the basket for which it is possible to make a time series comparison.

Service Performance Information 2006 [196Kb]

Back to the top

Data Quality

External reviews on Council Performance by the Audit Commission are becoming less dependent on formal inspections and more about measuring successful outcomes, which rely on accurate reporting.

Ipswich Borough Council has developed a Data Quality Strategy to set out a standard approach for the collection of accurate data and to ensure confidence in the quality of data used.

Data Quality Strategy [80Kb]

Back to the top

How Ipswich Compares to Other Authorities

Ipswich Borough Council is required to report its performance on 83 key aspects of its services. These Performance Indicators are published in the Best Value Performance Plan, and reported to the Audit Commission.

The Authority produces a report to show how the Council is performing against its own targets and previous performance. This report includes comparative data with other district councils, the Top Quartile performance shows the level achieved by the top 25% of Districts. A further refinement of this principle is to show the Top Quartile for what is termed the "Nearest Neighbour" group of authorities i.e. those demographically and geographically similar to Ipswich.

The authorities making up the Nearest Neighbour group are: -

BV Performance Indicators - Reporting against Top Quartiles 2006/07

Back to the top

BVPI General Satisfaction Survey

Every three years the Government specifies that local authorities collect and report on a number of Performance Indicators that reflect the public's perceptions of a range of services provided by the authority.

The results of the 2006 survey carried out by Ipos Mori between September and December shows Ipswich Borough Council is in the top two of 58 local authorities for parks, theatres and arts facilities, museums and galleries and sports provision.

The independent Ipos Mori poll asked more than 1,500 people what they thought about living in Ipswich and what they thought about the Borough Council. Some of the findings were: -

76% of residents believe the Borough Council is making Ipswich cleaner and greener;
74% think Ipswich is a better place overall in which to live;
70% are happy with sport, arts and leisure facilities provided by the Council;
72% say the Council is doing a good job of recycling;
80% are happy with waste collection service;

To see the full report from Ipos Mori please use the link below

BVPI General Satisfaction Survey 2006

Back to top