Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive, Policy, Performance, Partnerships and Communication, to provide an update on work being done to improve data quality across the council in particular the Children’s and Benefits and Local Taxation service.

The Chair asked for an introduction of the report.

 

The Assistant Chief Executive (PPP & C) Mr Longshaw informed the Committee that the OFSTED review of Children’s Services in December 2008 highlighted data quality weakness linked to operational practice within the service. These weaknesses were subsequently reflected in the Comprehensive Area Assessment 2009.  In addition the data quality audit undertaken by Grant Thornton in the summer of 2009 identified further data quality issues in Benefits and Local Taxation.

 

Mr Longshaw reported that since then a number of steps had been taken to improve data quality in these two areas:

 

Children’s services

 

• Auditing of referrals, initial and core assessment indicators with a sample 300 cases reviewed.  This audit identified improvement in the quality of recording and completion of assessment records over time.
• Independent social work audits found improvements in the quality of assessments with appropriate outcomes.

 

Benefits and Local Taxation

 

Series of actions taken to improve accuracy and data quality including:

 

• New quality and performance software implemented – ensures that identified errors are fed back and corrected
• Compliance team established to carry out data quality checks of assessments
• Workshops held with staff and team leaders to understand accuracy issues and identify solutions
• Ongoing testing of identified risk areas i.e. new claim start dates, single persons discount and earned income calculations
• Focussed ongoing training and development activity for benefits staff

 

Mr Longshaw commented that work continued in other areas across the council to ensure data is robust with an ongoing programme of audits (Appendix 2).

 

Mr Longshaw also referred to the corporate performance team’s audit of 3 children’s social care indicators between October and  December 2009 covering data for the period April 2009 to September/October 2009 as follows:

 

• NI 68 Percentage of referrals to children’s social care going on to initial assessment – measured as number of initial assessments as a percentage of number of referrals.
• NI 59 Percentage of initial assessments for children’s social care carried out within 7 working days of referral.
• NI 60 Percentage of core assessments for children’s social care carried out within 35 working days

 

Mr Longshaw further advised that the audit focussed on compliance with the indicator definitions and the records available to support the figures reported for the given months. In total 300 cases were sampled over the period and detailed findings fed back to the service. The scale of the errors found was not material and therefore the numbers reported for the indicators were found to be substantially accurate, and Appendix 1 of the report summarised the findings and highlighted some areas of concern along with the service response.

 

Mr Longshaw further stated that in addition to the corporate data quality audits of the indicators, there were some off line management audits to assess the quality of practice commissioned by the service and of the 165 audits undertaken since November ‘09 and conducted by senior managers, there had been an improvement in the quality of assessments with appropriate outcomes and recommendations. A Service performance management strategy now set out the contribution of practice standards; team performance plans; team evidence files; case file audits; the Members Safeguarding Panel; and the work of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board Quality Assurance Sub-group to improve performance management.

 

Mr Longshaw then commented that there was also a refreshed and re-focused monthly performance management group bringing together Heads of Service and their deputies, all Child Protection advisors, the performance team and other key players with weekly performance information presented to the Chief Executive and used by operational managers in the service.  It was also the case that the recent inspection of progress made in the provision of safeguarding services confirmed the good progress in improving the effectiveness of arrangements for referral, assessment, protection and planning for children in need. It stated that the council had made satisfactory progress in strengthening the support, supervision and performance management arrangements in front line social care services.

 

In conclusion, Mr Longshaw advised that the report also found that performance management was now established across the Partnership and that good progress had been made on recording decisions on case files and supervision files. The quality of the data provided in his view was adequate and although the majority of case files had evidence of management decisions, there was variability in quality of recording and actions taken and anticipated outcomes were not always clear. This was consistent with the findings of the corporate performance information audit.

           

The Chair thanked Mr Longshaw for his precise introduction and asked if there were any points of clarification or comment.

 

Councillor Santry, in reference to Appendix 2, sought clarification as to the progress and the indication of ticks and crosses, and how something was determined as having been checked/completed.  In response Mr Longshaw advised that a tick indicated that something had been completed and a cross indicated that it would be completed in due course.  The Corporate Head of Performance & Policy – Ms Pelekanos advised that the performance team checked and evaluated the data provided within limitations.  It was not a case of quality checking the actual detail of individual cases as this was carried out both internally and externally, as referred to during discussion of Item 8 – but that the figures supplied were tested in the interest of good practice against set measures.

 

In response to further clarification from Councillor Santry Ms Pelekanos advised that following assessment of data there were discussions with officers at Director level and management teams and where it was found that there was a potential error then this was also fed back via the Director to the team concerned.  However it was safe to say that there had not been any incidents of systematic or deliberate error.

 

Mr Longshaw further advised that when there were concerns the appropriate Director was notified and asked to give their view as to the provided information. 

 

Councillor Meehan referred to the issue of the quality of data and the score of 1 due to previous poor data in the areas of Children’s services and also taxation.  In respect of the view expressed that the information now provided was adequate, in his view this was not good enough and he sought clarification as to what had been the level of progress since the last comprehensive area assessment, and if there was any actual improvement at all. 

 

In response Mr Longshaw advised that there were now stringent data quality systems in place to assess the provided data which would provide assurance in respect of the quality of data, with particular focus on children and families, and benefits and local taxation.

 

Councillor Meehan, whilst hoping that by having such safeguards in place this would lead to improvements in the data provided, commented that there still needed to be some assurance that that information was being assessed sufficiently enough for officers and members to be confident to say by the next comprehensive assessment that there was actually a clear improvement from the previous year.

 

In response Ms Pelekanos assured Members that following the OFSTED Inspection in December 2008 there had been a thorough evaluation and assessment of the data quality processes and considerable revisions as a result.

 

The Acting Head of Benefits & Local Taxation – Mr Biggadike referred to the housing and council tax benefit claims data and commented that there was now a full programme of assessment training and that now there were champions who were tasked with signing off on cases in order to reduce the level of error.  In the main where there had been human error this had been mainly due to misunderstanding or lack of knowledge of the processes operated but that it needed to be stressed that there were 4 different benefit schemes operated hence the appointment of champions with in the teams for the purpose of sign off.  With training of teams and improvements and enhancements to software/IT it was hoped that all staff would then be in a position to sign off as a champion.

 

Councillor Diakides commented that following the previous severe criticism it was evident from external and internal assessment that there had been a considerable up turn in assessment of data now and this was clearly evident.  However it was vital to ensure that the quality of data was and would continue to be accurate and that there was a need for assurances from the appropriate cabinet members of their confidence in what was now being provided. 

 

Mr Longshaw responded that there had been a clear and positive response to the previous criticisms and that in his view the majority of data provided was quite sound and the assessment/auditing  of data as outlined demonstrated good practice.  It was a fact that lessons had been learned and that it was safe to say that the Council was doing a lot of things right and that the Council was moving forward. The assessment of data was on-going and every effort was being made to ensure accurate validation and the drilling down on issues when they arose.

 

Councillor Santry, in welcoming the assurances given by officers, commented that she still did have some concerns as to how independent could the internal assessment of data be and whether external assessment may give a more transparent view.

 

In response to clarification from the Chair Mr Longshaw commented that in his position he was independent of the service area and he reported directly to the Chief Executive. Mr Longshaw advised that he had the authority to challenge issues of data provided being either performance or data quality. 

 

The Interim Chief Financial Officer – Ms Willis commented that in response to points of clarification from Councillor Santry it was the case that officers carrying out assessment of data did operate at arms length and in complement to the work of the internal audit, together with external validation on the part of Grant Thornton.  Ms Willis advised that in her view there was significant evidence of improvements in data assessment and this would be borne out by a likely assessment score of 2 – which equated to satisfactory – akin to scoring across a number of other Local Authorities.

 

Councillor Meehan, in noting the comments, expressed concern at the current score of 1 and the need to move from likely satisfactory score to an exemplary one.

 

In response to further clarification from the Chair Ms Willis advised that she concurred with the comments of the Chief Financial Officer.

 

Mr Longshaw also advised, in response to clarification from Councillor Diakides, that the issue of the provision of data quality was discussed at CEMB and that CEMB was empowered to question and seek clarification on any issue it felt needed review.

 

Councillor Santry suggested that it be a part of the new Chief Executive’s to ensure the embedding of a culture of reviewing data and ensuring safeguarding across the Local Authority.

 

The Chair then summarised and it was:

 

RESOLVED

 

i.            that the findings in relation to recent audits and the progress being made in respect of data quality be noted; and

 

ii.     that the concerns expressed by Members during the discussion of the report in relation to accuracy of, and assessment of data be noted and that the Chief Executive be asked to consider embedding culture of reviewing data and ensuring safeguarding across the Local Authority.

 

At this point in the proceedings Councillor Aitken commented that it was only right that the Committee now consider Item 11 – Leaseholder Charges as it was an extremely important matter to consider. He formally MOVED that the Committee next consider Item 11. Councillor Dobbie seconded the MOTION.

 

On a vote there being 2 for and 2 against, the Chair used his casting vote and the MOTION was lost.

 

Councillor Aitken expressed his dismay that the item was to not be considered at this pointing the proceedings and that there were clearly important matters needing to be considered in relation to the concerns of leaseholders.

 

The Chair responded that should there be time later in the proceedings then the Committee would consider Item 11 as agreed at the start of the meeting.

 

At 21.15hrs Councillor Aitken, in reiterating his concerns at the need to consider item 11 withdrew from the proceedings.

 

The Chair advised that the meeting would next consider agenda Item 12 – Grant Thornton – Audit Progress report.