Self assessment and review feature increasingly in the Welsh approach to improvement. In 2010, the Welsh Government passed responsibility for the majority of local government performance measurement activities to the Welsh Local Government Association on behalf of local government in Wales. Following a review of the existing approach, a new Performance Improvement Framework has been introduced from April 2011.
The new framework focuses on two distinct areas:
- Public Accountability Measures - providing measures for public accountability; and
- Service Improvement Data - developing meaningful datasets for use by services and their regulators to support service improvement.
The Public Accountability Measures consist of a small set of “outcome focussed” indicators, selected initially from within the existing Performance Measurement Framework. They reflect those aspects of local authority work which local authorities agree are considered to be important in terms of public accountability. For example, recycling, educational attainment, sustainable development, etc. This information will be required and reported nationally, validated, and published annually.
The Service Improvement Data can be used by local authority services and their regulators as they plan, deliver and improve services. For example, generic data such as population estimates and projections, employment rates, and service specific data such as unit costs, resources, service throughput rates etc. may appear in this set in due course. The make-up of this data set will be defined by local authorities according to need and value, collated centrally and shared within the local government community to support service improvement.
Welsh Ministers continue to set National Strategic Indicators (NSIs). Local authorities have a legal duty to collect and report on these. Guidance on the NSI set can be found on the Welsh Government website.
During 2011-12, the Local Government Data Unit Wales will work with local authorities, professional networks and regulators to further develop and refine both the Public Accountability Measures and the Service Improvement Data.
- Public Accountability Measures 2011-12 – Guidance for Local Authorities (Local Government Data Unit - Wales)
- Service Improvement Datasets (SIDs) 2011-12 (Local Government Data Unit - Wales)
- National Strategic Indicators 2011-12
- Ffynnon – the pan-Wales performance management system