Agenda item

To consider the performance monitoring report.  

Capita representatives Sue King and Darren Keen were invited into the meeting to report on performance.  They highlighted that Council Tax collection rates were high, similar to last year, as was collection of national non-domestic rates. 

Turning to benefits, Capita reported that the number of claims had increased in recent months.  The speed of administering the claims was now 21 days for the Vale and 23 for South Oxfordshire.  This was an improving trend on the year-to-date performance of 25 days for each council. 

Changes to a benefits claimant’s circumstances (known as changed events) currently took 22 days to administer for the Vale and 26 days for South Oxfordshire.  The board members considered that this performance was poor and called for much better performance, suggesting a target of 7 or 8 days was set.  Whilst Capita’s representatives agreed that the time taken to process these changes was too long, they did not believe a target of 7 or 8 days was possible without additional cost to the councils.  The board members pointed out that the contract with Capita required top quartile performance.  The councils expected this level of performance for the current contract consideration.  The board considered that a target of 7 or 8 days should be achievable as it had been achieved by Capita previously under this contract and by Capita for other councils too.  Capita reported that it would be difficult to set a target at this stage and asked for this to be agreed once data had been received in April.  The board disagreed, believing that the two councils must be able to start their new financial years in April knowing what their targets were.  The board asked that a lower target was agreed between the councils’ client officer and Capita before the end of March.  Continuing at the current level of performance was likely to result in both councils being penalised, with likely financial claims to Capita.  The board members asked that the target and the payment and performance mechanism were discussed at the next meeting. 

The accuracy of processing benefits claims was discussed also.  The figures for January had been unacceptably low.  Capita’s manager apologised for this and was investigating the causes.  He agreed to report his findings and resulting actions back to the board.  The board noted that February’s performance had improved but not to the target level.  The board was again disappointed with this performance and reminded Capita of the importance to the contract of improving the accuracy of processing benefits claims.  Capita was asked why performance differed between councils across the country.  In response, Capita believed that each council had differing demands in checking benefits applications and there was a question over the interpretation of the term “accuracy”.  The board members advised Capita that the Audit Commission’s definition of accuracy was the only definition it should concentrate on.  The client officer and Capita were asked to discuss this to fully understand of how the councils’ performance should be measured. 

Capita was also requested to be more open with its benefits’ data.  It was noted that Capita’s manager monitored performance on a monthly basis.  The board suggested that monitoring should be increased to weekly, until performance had improved to target levels.  Capita’s representatives agreed to introduce weekly monitoring and to find the causes of under-performance.  Board members asked for weekly monitoring data on the accurate processing of benefits claims. 

Turning to exchequer services, the board noted that performance against the indicator for the payment of invoices within 30 days was still not at target levels.  This was to be the subject of a report to the Vale’s Scrutiny Committee in March. 

RESOLVED

(a)               that by the end of March 2010 the councils’ client officer and Capita be requested to agree a target and payment performance mechanism for changes to a benefit claimant’s circumstances and these matters be discussed at the next board meeting;

(b)               that the councils’ client officer and Capita be requested to discuss the Audit Commission’s definition of accuracy and use this as the performance measure; and

(c)               that weekly monitoring data on the accurate processing of benefits claims be sent to board members.