NCC welcomes the challenge and acknowledgment of further improvement
Posted on Tuesday 30th June 2015
Newport City Council’s cabinet will meet again on Monday 6 July to consider a diverse agenda of reports, including the Welsh Audit Office’s (WAO) follow-up of the Corporate Assessment.
The report reflects on progress following the council’s full corporate assessment two years ago in 2013. That assessment examined the council’s capability to deliver its priorities and improved outcomes for citizens and noted the council was at a pivotal point, and that it had a clear vision.
This follow-up assessment shows that the council has made a number of improvements since 2013 in key areas. Two of the statutory recommendations that were made in the original Corporate Assessment report of September 2013 are still applicable, however four others have been updated to reflect the council’s positive progress since then.
Cabinet will be asked to note and welcome the positive feedback in relation to improved financial management, people management, use of ICT and its improvement in planning and performance management arrangements.
Cabinet will also look at recommendations including further work on governance, driving improvement, reducing staff sickness and using scrutiny to consistently challenge performance.
Newport City Council recognises these challenges and continues to work hard to deliver a high standard of service despite having £60 million cut from its budget in the last five years, and staff numbers reduced by 1,220 over the same period.
The council’s latest National Strategic Indicators and Public Accountability Measures are set to reflect Government service priorities and service delivery outcomes. Newport City Council performed positively against these key measures, exceeding its target for 2014/15 whilst also performing above the Wales average target.
The council’s progress in key areas is also reflected in its year-end performance for the 2014/15 Improvement Plan – a blueprint for the delivery of services across the city.
In April 2014, Newport City Council approved 10 improvement objectives in the Improvement Plan. The council has made excellent progress in three of its ten objectives and good progress in the other seven.
This meeting of cabinet commences at 11am in the Civic Centre’s committee room one, and is a public meeting.
Full details of the meeting’s agenda can be found on the council’s website.