Background

Oldham Council has been downloading comparator information into their corporate performance report using LG Inform Plus (connecting directly via the LG Inform Plus API to their performance management system) for several years. Incorporating this information into their routine performance reporting has allowed us to monitor and benchmark key performance indicators against a range of comparator groups. This has enabled timely statistical updates when resources have been limited.

Applying the LG Inform Plus resources

More recently, the council’s Performance Improvement Team has been experimenting with other ways of using the data available, to produce detailed analytical reports in both Excel and PowerBi.  The resources and support provided via LG Inform through training materials, webinars and interactive chat functionality has been invaluable in informing the output reports and maximising the benefit provided through LG Inform.

These reports have been used to facilitate discussion with services to better understand performance in relation to both geographical, and statistical neighbours, and to aid target setting, as part of the Council’s annual business planning process. The ability to import and monitor performance information and trend across a range of areas will assist in understanding and informing Covid recovery over the next few years.

Oldham’s Performance Hub

Going forward, the council plan to create a performance hub, which will act as a repository of performance information, including links to several bespoke LG Inform reports created by the Performance Improvement Team.

Fig 1: Dashboard

Naaira Zaman, Performance Improvement Lead at Oldham Council reports:

‘The support we have received from LG Inform over the last twelve months has facilitated the improvement of both our corporate business plans, and our approach to performance management. We are pleased to see that more of our colleagues are using the rich information available through LG Inform and LG Inform Plus to assist them in their operational planning and performance management activities, strengthening our focus around benchmarking.’

For more details on this experience, or about the LG Inform Plus API, contact Tiffany Patterson, tiffany.patterson@oldham.gov.uk or our support team: support@lginform.local.gov.uk