Improvement Plan

REF	IMPROVEMENT ACTION	LEAD	PROJECT MANAGER	KEY DATES	LATEST UPDATE
LV01A	Create understanding of effective political leadership, role and purpose.	Chief Executive Alistair Buchan	John Smith	.	Continuing in line with the review of overall governance arrangements.
LV01B	Develop core competencies and a training programme for Members.	Head of Organisational Development John Smith	.	Programme developed and implemented by September 2011.	A number of informal Members’ Seminars have been held in the areas of Financial Management and Governance. Decision taken to run this work stream along with LV06 – Develop Management Training. Individual membersidentified to work on evaluation of e-learning materials to contribute to member training and induction programme.
LV02	Create circumstances to support effective political leadership. Body to be established at political level, responsible for effective leadership and strategic direction of the Council as an organisation and to work with Chief Executive and Corporate Management Team.	Chief Executive Alistair Buchan	.	Proposals formally considered March/April 2011 Proposals Implemented by May / June 2011. Effective succession planning implemented from March 2011 to May 2012.	Special meeting of Shetland Islands Council held on Monday 7 March 2011; new committee structure approved and appointments made to the roles of Convener, Leader of the Council, and to the Chairs of the 4 new committees – Children, Families & Learning; Communities, Health & Well being; Economy & Development and Environment. Appointments to the Chairs of the remaining bodies and the Vice-Chairs in respect of the above took place at the Council meeting on 23 March 2011. A Members Seminar was held on 13 April to debate appointments to the Executive Committee and the detail of the revised Constitutional Documents. Final decisions were made at a Special Meeting of the Shetland Islands Council on 27 April. Make up of Executive Committee was decided upon and appointments made. Appointments also made to all other Committees.
LV03	Fully embed Planning and Performance Management Framework (PPMF).	Head of Finance Hazel Sutherland	Emma Perring	Reformed PPMF established June 2011. SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely) Integrated Strategic and Service plans and budgets by Sep 2011 for 2012/13 budget process.	Workshops held to develop PPMF, approved July 2011 by Executive Committee. Covalent software purchased during summer, to support PPMF(Project Team established). On target to achieve implementation by September 2011.
LV04A	Establish a communications office within the Chief Executive’s Office, in order to support the elected Members, the Council’s corporate message and Shetlands reputation. Refresh the Communications Strategy.	Assistant Chief Executive Willie Shannon	Peter Peterson	March 2011 for refreshed strategy and proposals on staffing. Implemented by September 2011.	Communications strategy in place. Communications Unit to be established as part of wider management restructuring process.
LV04B	Establish dedicated support services for Members.	Assistant Chief Executive Willie Shannon	.	Proposals for design of services and staffing developed by March 2011. Implemented by June 2011.	A member of staff is now in place to provide a dedicated support service to Members.
LV05A	Create new community engagement strategy based on principles of structured community engagement.	Assistant Chief Executive Willie Shannon	Emma Perring	Updated strategy designed by June 2011	Community Engagement Guidelines approved by CPDG, Council and partner organisations. Need for Guidelines and Training to be picked up by Members / Snr Manager Training programmes. Communication and Engagement Plan re budget setting for 2011/12 developed, with Executive Committee as Steering Group.
LV05B	Co-ordinated response to complaints with lessons being learned and disseminated throughout the organisation	Head of Legal and Administration Jan Riise	Shona Thompson	Aiming for approval of a new Complaints Policy at the first meeting of the Council following the summer recess.	Project Initiation Document prepared to reflect SPSO principles of complaints handling. SPSO guidance on a Model Complaints Handling Procedure received on 11 March 2011. Workshop took place on 14 March 2011 with key members of staff from around the Authority. Draft Policy and guidance documents are in preparation and these will be consulted on shortly. System exploration underway, although this may be impacted upon depending on what is chosen to support the PPMF.
LV06	Develop Management Training	Head of Organisational Development John Smith	Denise Bell	Will be informed by management restructuring, outcome. Programme designed by end September 2011.	E-Learning package Brightwave being purchased from Clyde Valley Consortium. Research underway to identify best practice in use of package to ensure maximum efficiencies and effectiveness in how it is used. Options also being explored with other agencies, to support and supplement the e-Learning approach. Decision taken to run this work stream along with LV01B – Develop Core Competencies and a training programme for Members. The management restructuring process will include a comprehensive assessment of all managers v Council competency objectives. This will then be used to inform the management development programme.
LV07	Deliver Management Training	Head of Organisational Development John Smith	Denise Bell	Implemented from October 2011	A shared leadership programme will be launched alongside new governance arrangements following the completion of Management restructuring.
LV08	Performance Appraisal	Head of Finance Hazel Sutherland	Denise Bell	Design complete for Chief Executive and Chief Officers by December 2010 Full Implementation by December 2011	System in place for Chief Executive, supported by an external facilitator. In hand, as part of Planning and Performance Management Framework. Project Initiation Document completed.A draft revised Employee Review and Development policyhas been produced and undergoing further amendments prior to wider circulation.Performance Management workshop for Heads of Service now being planned to outline existing people management framework and provide challenge to current practice.
LV09	Reinvigorate the Council’s policy of jobs dispersal.	Head of Economic Development Neil Grant	John Smith	Implementation from June 2011	Staff and Managers Survey carried out, feedback being analysed. Initial Projects identified and approved by Project Board. Roll-out to be accelerated alongside Councils accommodation review.
LV10	Share Best Practice	Executive Director – Infrastructure Gordon Greenhill	John Smith	1st session December 2010	2nd “wider management group” session held April. June “wider management group” deferred due to Management Restructuring.
LV11	Benchmarking	Executive Director – Infrastructure Gordon Greenhill	Stephen Cooper	Aligned to Planning and Performance Management Framework (PPMF) timescales. June 2011 for agreement of structure implemented to support strategic and budgeting in September 2011	Intention to use performance data set established by Improvement Service and SOLACE. Benchmarking group established with Orkney and Western Isles. Performance data to be fed into PPMF and COVALENT working groups.
LV12	External Engagement	Executive Director – Infrastructure Gordon Greenhill	Stephen Morgan	Full review of current activity with proposals for improvement by end May 2011	Audit of Elected Member’s membership and attendance at National Fora completed. Template sent to Extended Corporate Management Team for completion to audit officer membership at National Fora. This information was to be returned by Friday 25th March for collation. The project team did not get a complete response to the request for information so this has been represented with responses due back by 22 April. It is hoped this will not delay analysis of the information. All information collated and shared with Carol Hislop. We are awaiting her comments prior to concluding this piece of work. Carol Hislop’s comments expected by 3rd June 2011. Positive response received from Audit Scotland on progress made by Project Team. Advice has been sought from COSLA, The Improvement Service, and SOLACE regarding attendance of external events. Reply has been received from COSLA, confirming that the Council is attending the necessary COSLA events. Report is currently being drafted to finalise the work of this workstream. It is expected that this report will be presented at a final meeting of the Project Team in due course.
LV13	Review current chief officer structure.	Chief Executive Alistair Buchan	.	Proposals developed for June 2011	Will be progressed between March 2011 and June 2011.
LV14A	Update Recruitment and Selection Policy for protocols governing the process for Chief Officer appointments.	Head of Organisational Development John Smith	Denise Bell	May 2011	Protocol approved by Council as part of update of overall governance arrangements. New arrangements being used during management restructuring recruitment.
LV14B	Robust and transparent procedures for creation and filling of posts	Executive Director – Infrastructure Gordon Greenhill	.	December 2010	Fortnightly Vacancy Management Panel established to deal with all vacancies – established posts, temporary posts and extensions to contracts. First meeting was held on 13 January 2011.
G01	Develop understanding of good governance standards.	Head of Legal and Administration Jan Riise	.	March/April 2011	Underway as part of review of governance arrangements. SIC to adapt principles of the code of good corporate governance to be completed on conclusion of the overall governance review.
G02	Revise governance structures.	Head of Legal and Administration Jan Riise	.	Report proposals and options in December 2010. Formal decision making March/April 2011 Implementation May / June 2011.	Initial proposals considered at 2 member seminars Dec/Jan. Debated at meeting of SIC - March 2011 further seminar and refinement with final approval on 8 May 2011. Formal political management arrangements implementing new decision making structures commenced on 18 May. First full cycle completed and new suite of constructional documents tested throughout.
G03	Revise local codes of conduct for Members and officers.	Head of Legal and Administration Jan Riise	.	Report to Council with proposals in April 2011. Formal approval of any changes March/April 2011.	Member code revised and received parliament approved in Dec 2010. New code activated Jan 2011. Officer Code in draft requires completion and implementation following management reviews.
G03	Protocol on Member officer relations to be developed.	Chief Executive Alistair Buchan	.		Formal approval of new protocol by Corporate Management Team and Council in early May 2011. Forms part F of new constitutional documents implemented on 18 May 2011.
CP1	Revise governance structures for community planning.	Head of Finance Hazel Sutherland	Emma Perring	September 2011	Underway as part of PPMF. Proposal for review drafted, and views being sought. On target to provide paper summarising issues and opportunities to CPDG on 29th August.
CP2	Bring community planning within Planning and Performance Management Framework (PPMF).	Head of Finance Hazel Sutherland	Emma Perring	September 2011	Approved and implementation underway as part of LV03.
FM1	The council will establish rigorous processes to ensure that its use of resources is on a footing consistent with implementing and sustaining its financial strategy, and demonstrate that it delivers services in a way which achieves Best Value.	Head of Finance Hazel Sutherland	.	September 2011	Financial Planning and Budgeting Framework Report agreed 4 July 2011 at Executive Committee. Timetable of activity agreed to review: Reserves Policy; Charging Policy; Spend to Save projects.
FM2	The budget setting process will be developed with a shared commitment by members and management, to focus on efficiency and strategic priorities conducted in line with all good governance principles.	Head of Finance Hazel Sutherland	Hazel Tait	September 2011	A consultant has been employed to maintain momentum on achieving efficiencies and savings in 2011/12 – 2013/14 which is being monitored monthly by Corporate Management Team. Financial Planning and Budgeting Framework Report agreed 4 July 2011 at Executive Committee. Timetable of activity approved to review: high level cost changes; charging policy; spend to save projects; new cost pressures, etc. Staff and community engagement ideas being progressed.
FM3	The long running qualification of the Councils accounts by Audit Scotland will be resolved.	Assistant Chief Executive Willie Shannon	.	August 2011	This is being progressed and the Council is currently in discussion with external lawyers regarding the opinions on consolidation of accounts, and the Council’s relationship with the Shetland Charitable Trust. Joint workshop was held on 14 April to discuss Legal Opinion regarding the constitutional issues between SCT and SIC.
FM4	Adequate resourcing of the Financial Accounting function.	Head of Finance Hazel Sutherland	.	March 2011	Additional resources secured to co-ordinate and prepare the 2010/11 Final Accounts. Additional resources secured to complete the requirements of the IFRS code. Longer term review of Financial Accounting Function will be brought forward as part of the Chief Executive’s Management Review.
FM5	Review of the Council’s Financial Regulations.	Head of Finance Hazel Sutherland	Hazel Tait	March 2011	Revised draft Financial Regulations prepared by Mr B Lawrie subject to review, approval and implementation from autumn 2011 cycle.
AS1	Create a strategy for the management, utilisation, acquisition and disposal of Council-owned buildings and land.	Head of Capital Programming Robert Sinclair	.	December 2011	Asset Strategy Manager in post as of 4th April 2011. Project Initiation Document completed. Sharing of property data with other agencies is underway. Other preparatory work is also underway. Staff consultation underway. Office accommodation strategy being implemented.

Last updated: 01 August 2011