Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014

Improvement planning and information

Collection of information relating to performance

90.—(1) A council must make arrangements for—

(a) the collection of information which will allow it to assess whether it has met during a financial year those improvement objectives set under section 85(1) which are applicable to that year;

(b) the collection of information which will allow it to—

(i) measure its performance during a financial year by reference to those performance indicators specified under section 89(1)(a) which are applicable to the council for that year;

(ii) assess whether it has met during a financial year those performance standards specified under section 89(1)(b) which are applicable to the council for that year;

(c) the collection of information which will allow it to—

(i) measure its performance during a financial year by reference to those self-imposed performance indicators which are applicable to that year;

(ii) assess whether it has met during a financial year those self-imposed performance standards which are applicable to that year.

(2) For the purposes of this section and sections 91 and 92—

(a) a self-imposed performance indicator is a factor by reference to which a council has decided to measure its performance in exercising its functions; and

(b) a self-imposed performance standard is a standard which a council has decided to meet in relation to a self-imposed performance indicator.

Use of performance information

91.—(1) A council must use the information it collects under section 90 to compare its performance in exercising the functions to which the information relates with—

(a) its performance in exercising those or similar functions during previous financial years; and

(b) so far as is reasonably practicable, the performance of other councils in exercising those or similar functions during the financial year to which the information relates and during previous financial years.

(2) A council must—

(a) use the information it collects under section 90 to assess whether it could improve its performance in exercising its functions; and

(b) in the light of that assessment, decide what steps it will take with a view to improving its performance in exercising its functions.

(3) In discharging its duty under this section and section 90 a council must have regard to any guidance issued by the Department.

Improvement planning and publication of improvement information

92.—(1) A council must make arrangements in accordance with this section for the publication of the information described below.

(2) The council must make arrangements for the publication of—

(a) the council’s assessment of its performance during a financial year—

(i) in discharging its duty under section 84;

(ii) in meeting the improvement objectives it has set itself under section 85 which are applicable to that year;

(iii) by reference to performance indicators specified under section 89(1)(a) and self-imposed performance indicators which are applicable to that year;

(iv) in meeting performance standards specified under section 89(1)(b) and self-imposed performance standards which are applicable to that year;

(b) the council’s assessment of its performance in exercising its functions during a financial year as compared with—

(i) its performance in previous financial years; and

(ii) so far as is reasonably practicable, the performance during that and previous financial years of other councils;

(c) details of the information collected under section 90 in respect of a financial year and what the council has done to discharge its duties under section 91 in relation to that year.

(3) Those arrangements must be framed so that the information is published before—

(a) 30th September in the financial year following that to which the information relates; or

(b) such other date as the Department may specify by order.

(4) The council must make arrangements for the publication of a description of the council’s plans for discharging its duties under sections 84(1), 85(2) and 89(5) in a financial year together with, if the council thinks fit, its plans for subsequent years (an “improvement plan”).

(5) Those arrangements must be framed so that the information is published—

(a) as soon as is reasonably practicable after the start of the financial year to which the plan must relate; or

(b) as soon as is reasonably practicable after such other date as the Department may specify by order.

(6) Without prejudice to the generality of section 111, guidance issued under that section may address—

(a) the manner in which assessments of performance are to be carried out;

(b) the making of an improvement plan including the procedure to be followed.