Appendix 5

Explanations for variations of actuals from targets for 2002/03

A: Working with Partners to Deliver Quality and Responsive Services

PI Code	PI Description	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual	Reason for discrepancy
BV2a	The level of the Equality Standard for Local Government to which the authority conforms.	Level 3	Not Adopt-ed	Corporate resources devoted towards comprehensive performance assessment. Revised corporate arrangements being addressed for equalities support.
BV8	The percentage of undisputed invoices for commercial goods and services which were paid within 30 days.	100%	80%	The target was a national target. Few authorities are likely to meet it. Work is ongoing to identify the areas where performance is poor and for remedial action to be taken. To assist this, details of late-paid invoices are being provided to departments.
BV109	Percentage of planning applications determined within 13 weeks.	40%	70%	Small numbers. Also targets were conservative because of uncertainties over resources.
BV114	Local cultural strategy: score against a checklist in the ‘Creating Opportunity’ guidance.	100%	83%	Slight delay in producing final approved strategy has lead to a small slippage in finalising the action plan
BV115	The cost per visit to public libraries.	£3.16	£3.89	Fewer visitors than targeted and higher costs (additional grant money, increased overheads and job evaluation).
BV116	Spend per head of population on cultural and recreational facilities and activities.	£19.56	£21.88	Increased capital charges and job evaluation costs.
BV156	Percentage of buildings open to the public in which all public areas are suitable for and accessible to disabled people.	29%	36%	Target was based on old definition. In addition, more buildings than anticipated were made accessible.
BV178	The percentage of the total length of footpaths and other rights of way that were signposted and easy to use by members of the public.	85%	73%	The survey methodology has changed from measuring footpath links to footpath lengths. The survey results shown as links gives a figure of 85%, i.e. on target.

B: Achieving Excellence in Education and Learning

PI Code	PI Description	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual	Reason for discrepancy
BV2a	The level of the Equality Standard for Local Government to which the authority conforms.	Level 3	Not Adopt-ed	Corporate resources devoted towards comprehensive performance assessment. Revised corporate arrangements being addressed for equalities support.
BV8	The percentage of undisputed invoices for commercial goods and services which were paid within 30 days.	100%	80%	The target was a national target. Few authorities are likely to meet it. Work is ongoing to identify the areas where performance is poor and for remedial action to be taken. To assist this, details of late-paid invoices are being provided to departments.
BV109	Percentage of planning applications determined within 13 weeks.	40%	70%	Small numbers. Also targets were conservative because of uncertainties over resources.
BV114	Local cultural strategy: score against a checklist in the ‘Creating Opportunity’ guidance.	100%	83%	Slight delay in producing final approved strategy has lead to a small slippage in finalising the action plan
BV115	The cost per visit to public libraries.	£3.16	£3.89	Fewer visitors than targeted and higher costs (additional grant money, increased overheads and job evaluation).
BV116	Spend per head of population on cultural and recreational facilities and activities.	£19.56	£21.88	Increased capital charges and job evaluation costs.
BV156	Percentage of buildings open to the public in which all public areas are suitable for and accessible to disabled people.	29%	36%	Target was based on old definition. In addition, more buildings than anticipated were made accessible.
BV178	The percentage of the total length of footpaths and other rights of way that were signposted and easy to use by members of the public.	85%	73%	The survey methodology has changed from measuring footpath links to footpath lengths. The survey results shown as links gives a figure of 85%, i.e. on target.
PI Code	PI Description	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual	Reason for discrepancy
BV34a	Percentage of primary schools with 25% or more (and at least 30) of their places unfilled.	10.10%	12.50%	All schools have had their net capacities re-assessed using a new net capacity measure, which increases the capacity of some schools. The target was set before all the new capacity calculations were completed.
BV34b	Percentage of secondary schools with 25% or more (and at least 30) of their places unfilled.	3.70%	5.60%	Small absolute numbers.  The reduction to just two schools may not be sustained.
BV43b	Percentage of statements of special educational need prepared within 18 weeks including those affected by "exceptions to the rule" under the SEN Code of Practice.	86%	75.30%	SENA has experienced severe staff shortages over the last year due to recruitment difficulties in filling Casework Officer posts on both a permanent and temporary basis.  In addition assessment team staff have been covering elements of the Finance Officer post which has been vacant since last March.  As a result assessment teams have been short staffed too.
BV44	Number of pupils permanently excluded during the year from all schools maintained by the authority per 1,000 pupils on rolls of schools maintained by the authority.	0.88	1.15	The DfES approach to exclusions has become less rigorous since 1999. National guidance justifies more circumstances in which exclusions may be appropriate.  As exclusions increase, the ability to respond to prevent exclusions has been reduced.
BV48	Percentage of schools maintained by the Authority subject to special measures on 14th December.	1.00%	1.73%	Very small absolute numbers.
BV50	Percentage of young care leavers aged 16 or over with at least 1 GCSE at grades A*-G, or GNVQ.	75%	47%	The target of 75% was a challenging national target. In 2001/02 only 41% of young people in England left care with a GCSE or GNVQ.  Measurement and target setting for educational achievement of care leavers is currently under review by the Government.
BV159	The percentage of permanently excluded pupils provided with alternative tuition per week of:	10%	18%	Limitations of accommodation and staffing has restricted supervised distance learning
	(a)  5 hours or less
	(b)  6-12 hours	0%	13%
	(c)  13-19 hours	0%	13%
	(d)  20 hours or more	90%	56%
BV170c	Numbers of pupils visiting museums and galleries in organised school groups.	29,000	23,937	There was no discrete marketing strategy in place for the schools sector, and this meant that lapsed users were not approached to renew their previous bookings.  This is now being addressed, particularly with respect to Snibston Discovery Park.

C: Improving Social Care and Support for Vulnerable People

PI Code	PI Description	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual	Reason for discrepancy
BV49	Percentage of children looked after with 3 or more placements during the year.	16%	19%	Small absolute numbers means the percentage figure can fluctuate significantly.
BV55	Clients receiving a review.	66%	57%	Unexpected increase in service users. Also, staff were picking up new areas of work (e.g. Fairer Charging and the transfer of Preserved Rights clients). Performance on reviews is currently being addressed within the department.
BV61	Spend on children in need but not looked after by the Council as a percentage of spending on all children’s services	31%	40%	Change in definition. On the previous definition our actual performance would have been 31%.
BV163	Adoptions of children looked after.	7%	5%	Small total numbers mean a small change leads to a big percentage variance.

D: Creating a Better Transport System

PI Code	PI Description	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual	Reason for discrepancy
BV96c	Percentage of principal roads with significant defects (visual inspection).	7%	10.20%	Change in method to calculate PI. On the old method, performance would have been 6% which is a slight improvement on the target due to better targeting of resources.
BV97a	Percentage of non-principal classified roads with significant defects (visual inspection).	11%	23.50%	Change in method to calculate PI. The figure would have been 13% on the old method. We are targeting resources to this area from 2003/04.
BV97b	Percentage of non-principal unclassified roads with significant defects (visual inspection).	12%	14.70%	Change in method to calculate PI. On the old method, performance would have been on target at 12%
BV99	Number of road casualties per 100,000 population - killed/ seriously injured.	40	59.6	The results, unlike the targets, include Trunk Roads and Motorways data. Excluding Trunk Roads and Motorways, the results would have been 40.1 and 333.7, respectively. The improvement for BV99 (ii) was due largely to reduced casualties for cyclists and pedestrians.
(i)
BV99	Number of road casualties per 100,000 population - slight injuries.	377.9	467.3
(ii)
BV100	Number of days of temporary traffic controls or road closure on traffic sensitive roads caused by local authority or utility road works per km of traffic sensitive road.	1	0.8	Less maintenance work done on traffic sensitive streets.
BV102	Local bus services (passenger journeys per year).	14.1m	16.1m	Target was based on figures supplied by the Department for Transport. The actual is based on more accurate data from bus operators.

F: Seeking a Safer County

PI Code	PI Description	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual	Reason for discrepancy
BV176	The number of domestic violence refuge places per 10,000 population which are provided or supported by the authority.	0.02	0	Council funding has been replaced by transitional housing benefit.

G: Making the Priorities Work

PI Code	PI Description	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual	Reason for discrepancy
BV14	Early retirements (excluding ill-health retirements) as a percentage of the total workforce over 50.	0.20%	0.28%	This represents 16 more early retirements, a number of which were related to Departmental Reorganisation.
LG1	Action in Biodiversity action plan assigned to Museums, Arts and Records Service: percentage achieved.	15%	12.50%	Some actions completed to meet the target require additional work before they will be signed off by the Steering Group.