02 October 2008
Council services in Wales have shown sustained improvement during the past year according to the latest figures published today. The performance indicators for 2007-08 show improvement across 71% of 183 performance indicators compared to the previous year.
Cllr Derek Vaughan (Neath Port Talbot), WLGA Deputy Leader said:
“This improvement is a real achievement. These figures show that despite growing public and national expectation and an increasingly challenging financial climate, local government continues to deliver service improvements year on year; this year’s improvement in 71.6% of indicators builds on the 72% improvement last year.”
“Performance has improved in a number of key services, including children’s services, waste recycling, inspection of high risk food premises, educational attainment and attendance, bed-blocking and turnaround times for disabled facilities grant. The progress is clear evidence of councils using these performance indicators to manage and improve service performance, particularly in areas which were of concern last year.”
“Whilst we should justifiably be proud of progress, local government will not be complacent as we still face a number of challenges, particularly around staff sickness levels and the homelessness and affordable homes agenda. Given the current global financial climate, the affordable homes agenda will require radical solutions and urgent action form both local and national government.”
Cllr Russell Roberts (Rhondda Cynon Taf), WLGA Spokesperson for Improvement said:
“Today’s performance indicators are only part of Welsh councils’ improvement picture. Wales’ independent watchdogs conclude that performance is improving and during the past year we have seen some excellent social services Joint Reviews and Estyn Inspections. Citizen and service user satisfaction levels remain high and a number of Welsh councils received recognition in a range of national awards during the past year. Despite growing financial pressures, local government continues to exceed the Welsh Assembly Government’s efficiency targets.”
“The publication of these performance indicators is evidence of local government’s commitment to providing the public with an open and transparent approach to accounting for performance. All of the information is freely available and accessible on the Local Government Data Unit’s website and individual councils use the information locally to inform the public and improve their own business planning processes.”
Cllr Vaughan added:
“Continued improvement however will be a challenge given the below-inflation settlement and increasing energy and fuel costs and we continue to press for a realistic finance settlement for the coming financial year.”
Key areas of improvement within the performance indicators include:
• 99% of high risk premises were inspected for food hygiene and health and safety, with 14 authorities inspecting 100% of food premises. This compares to 91% during 2006-07
• The amount of waste recycled or composted has increases by 4% compared to last year and currently stands at 31.8%
• Significant improvements in social services, in particular children’s services
• School attendance has increases in both primary and secondary sectors and the number of pupils who leave school at 16 without any formal qualifications has reduced, falling from 2.1% to 1.7%
• ‘Bed blocking’ has fallen to the lowest level in 5 years; and
• there has been a significant reduction in the days to process benefits claims and days to deliver Disabled Facilities Grants (which saw a 92 day reduction to 453 days).
Notes for Editors:
Whilst authorities’ names have been included on graphs and individual tables for the first time in order to aid public interpretation, it is not possible to create ‘league tables’ and advise against compiling league tables based on baskets of indicators – many of the indicators are not comparable and councils vary in terms of size, demographics, pressures and local prioritisation.
For further information, commentary and context behind the performance indicators see the WLGA's full statement in response to the Data Unit bulletin at www.wlga.gov.uk. The Data Unit's bulletin is available at www.dataunitwales.gov.uk
For more information contact: Natasha Weeks