The Local Government (Best Value Performance Indicators) (Wales) Order 2001

Article 4

SCHEDULE 1 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE INDICATORS

Indicator Number	Description of indicator	Details of indicator
NAWPI 1.1	The level of compliance with the best value authority’s approved Welsh language scheme as reported to the Welsh Language board	The overall level of compliance with the best value authority’s approved Welsh language scheme as confirmed by the Welsh Language Board as follows: Service delivery: very good good fair poor Scheme management: very good good fair poor to which “and/but improving” or “and/but deteriorating” is added to the performance level where appropriate.
NAWPI 1.2	The level of the Commission for Racial Equality’s standard for local government to which the best value authority conforms.	The levels of the standard for local government are defined in the chapter entitled “Measurements” in the Commission for Racial Equality’s documents entitled “Auditing for Equality” and “Racial Equality means Quality”. Best value authorities should report the level they have reached as follows:— Level 1: The best value authority has written a racial policy statement. Level 2: The best value authority has an action plan for monitoring and achieving its racial equality policy. Level 3: Results of ethnic monitoring against the equality policy and level of consultations with local communities are used to review the best value authority’s overall policy. Level 4: The best value authority can demonstrate clear improvements in its services resulting from monitoring, consulting with local communities, and acting on its equal opportunities policy. Level 5: The best value authority is an example of best practice in the way that it monitors and provides services to ethnic minorities, and is helping other authorities to achieve high standards. Confirmation that the best value authority has reached this level must have been provided by the Commission for Racial Equality. To report these levels, a best value authority must have adopted the Commission for Racial Equality’s standard for local government. If the best value authority has not adopted this standard, it should report the following: “This authority has not adopted the Commission for Racial Equality standard for local government”.
NAWPI 1.3	The number of complaints to an Ombudsman classified as maladministration.	Number of cases recorded and reported to authorities by the Commission for Local Administration in Wales classified as “maladministration causing injustice” or “maladministration”.
NAWPI 1.4	The percentage turnout for local elections.	“Turnout” is defined as the proportion of the electoral roll voting in any election in the year (except individual by-elections). Where there is no election during the financial year, best value authorities should report the turnout from the most recent election.
NAWPI 1.5	The percentage of interactions with the public, by type of transaction, which are capable of electronic service delivery which are being delivered using internet protocols or other paperless methods.	Interactions means any contact between the citizen and the best value authority including (by type): Providing information Collecting revenue Providing benefits and grants Consultation Regulation (such as issuing licences) Applications for services Booking venues, resources and courses Paying for goods and services Providing access to community, professional or business networks and procurement 100% should be defined within the best value authority’s e-government strategy to take account of local circumstances based on the full list of services for the best value authority is responsible and the types of interactions relevant to each service. This indicator presumes that all services are capable of being enabled for electronic delivery unless there is a legal or operational reason why this cannot be done. “Electronic” means delivery through internet protocols and other Information and Communication Technology (ICT) methods and includes delivery by telephone if the transaction carried out is electronically enabled i.e. the officer receiving the call can access electronic information and/or update records on-line there and then.
NAWPI 1.6	The percentage of undisputed invoices which were paid by the best value authority within 30 days of such invoices being received by the best value authority.	To obtain this percentage the best value authority will need to divide the number of all the invoices for commercial goods and services paid to external contractors and suppliers within 30 days of receipt during the financial year, by the total of all invoices paid by the best value authority in that year, and multiply the result by 100. Best value authorities may exclude invoices sent to schools and paid from delegated school budgets. In this indicator, and for the purposes of ascertaining whether the best value authority has paid the invoice within the 30 days period, the period will commence at the time of receipt of the invoice by the best value authority (not the best value authority’s payment section). The best value authority shall then pay such invoice within 30 days. Payment includes— dispatch of a cheque or other payment instrument; notification to bank for Bankers Automated Clearing Service payments; or bank processing of the payment if the best value authority specifies a period after which the bank is to make the payments once it has received the Bankers Automated Clearing Service (BACS) tape. Where the best value authority does not record the date it receives the invoice it should add two days to the date of the invoice unless it has sampled invoices during that year to get a more accurate period to add to that date. If sampling is used, the sample should be broadly representative of all invoices received by different departments and at different times of the year, and consist of at least 500 invoices. If an invoice is received before the services have been provided or the goods received, the 30 day or any other agreed term period starts from the satisfactory receipt of goods or the satisfactory completion of the services.
NAWPI 1.7	The amount of council tax received in the financial year as a percentage of the total debit for the financial year.	The amount of council tax received should exclude any arrears of council tax received in respect of years prior to the financial year, and any prepayments of council tax in respect of years subsequent to the financial year. The total debit for the financial year should exclude any arrears of council tax due in respect of years prior to the financial year. All figures should exclude council tax benefits or rebates, whether these are paid for by local or central government.
NAWPI 1.8	The amount of non-domestic rates payable for the financial year, adjusted for transitional relief, and less small property relief and all mandatory reliefs.	The amount of non-domestic rates should exclude any arrears of non-domestic rates received in respect of years prior to the financial year, and any prepayments of non— domestic rates in respect of years subsequent to the financial year. The adjusted gross rates payable figure should exclude any arrears of non-domestic rates or reliefs due in respect of years prior to the financial year.
NAWPI 1.9	The percentage of senior management posts filled by women	This indicator will need to reflect the position as at 31st March in the financial year. The percentage will be estimated by calculating the number of women in post at senior management level as a percentage of all staff in post at senior management level, where “senior management” is defined as the top three tiers of management in the best value authority. Chief Executives and Deputy Chief Executives count as one tier for this purpose. All staff in schools maintained by the best value authority should be excluded from this calculation.
NAWPI 1.10	The number of working days or shifts per full time equivalent lost due to sickness absence.	The proportion of days or shifts lost due to sickness absence will be obtained by the best value authority calculating the numerator and denominator as defined below. “Working days or shifts” means days or shifts scheduled for work after holidays or leave days have been excluded. The numerator is defined as the aggregate of working days lost due to sickness absence irrespective of whether this is self certified, certified by a GP or long term. This will include the days lost due to sickness of all permanent best value authority employees, including teachers, staff employed in schools and staff employed in Direct Labour Organisations and Direct Service Organisations. However,for the purposes of this numerator, the days lost due to sickness of temporary or agency staff should be disregarded. In addition, the days lost by staff on maternity or paternity leave should also be disregarded. The denominator is defined as the average number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff employed by the best value authority within a financial year. For staff who work part time, the best value authority should calculate the FTE equivalent for both the numerator and denominator on a consistent basis.
NAWPI 1.12	Ill health retirements as a percentage of the best value authority’s workforce.	“Ill health retirement” can occur at any age where an independent registered medical practitioner qualified in occupational health has certified that the employee is permanently incapable of performing the duties of that employment or a broadly comparable local government employment with his or her employing best value authority because of ill-health or infirmity of mind or body. This indicator is calculated as follows: Number of ill health retirements, divided by the total number of best value authority staff, multiplied by 100. For the purposes of calculating this indicator, staff in schools maintained by the best value authority should be included.
NAWPI 1.13	The number of staff declaring that they meet the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 disability definition as a percentage of the the best value authority’s workforce.	The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (1995 c. 50) states that “a person has a disability for the purposes of this Act if he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.” The indicator is calculated as follows: Number of disabled staff, divided by the total number of best value authority staff, multiplied by 100. For the purposes of calculating this indicator, staff in schools maintained by the best value authority should be included.
NAWPI 1.14	The percentage of employees from minority ethnic communities within the best value authority’s workforce.	The best value authority will calculate this indicator by dividing the number of minority ethnic community staff in the best value authority by the total number of the best value authority staff. The result of this division will then be multiplied by 100. For the purposes of calculating this indicator, staff in schools maintained by the best value authority should be included.
NAWPI 1.15	The percentage of the best value authority’s buildings open to the public and that are suitable and accessible to disabled people	The percentage is to be calculated by dividing the number of buildings suitable and accessible to disabled people by the number of the buildings open to the public, multiplied by 100. For the purpose of this indicator “buildings” means buildings from which the best value authority provides a service, of which at least a part is usually open to members of the public (but excluding public conveniences which are not integral to such buildings, and schools and educational establishments). The meaning of “suitable and accessible to disabled people” is to be construed in accordance with Part M of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/2531).
NAWPI 1.16	Racial incidents (a) the number of racial incidents recorded by the best value authority per 100,000 of its population (b) the percentage of racial incidents that resulted in further action	“Racial incidents” means any incidents regarded as such by the victim, the police or best value authority officials. The indicator applies to all of a best value authority’s services including schools and to employment by the best value authority. “Further action” means recording the racial incident in writing and includes : (i) detailed investigations, for example interviews with alleged perpertrator(s) (ii) referral to the police or other body (for example the Commission for Racial Equality or the Citizen’s Advice Bureau) (iii) mediation (iv) a warning to the perpertrator(s), (which must be recorded if made orally) (v) relocation of the victim (vi) removal of any offending graffiti.
NAWPI 1.17	The number of domestic violence refuge places per 10,000 population which are provided or supported by the best value authority	“Places” means the number of rooms providing bed spaces for a victim of domestic violence and his or her children. Rooms not normally designated as bedrooms should not be included. The figures should reflect the situation at the end of the previous financial year. If the best value authority part funds and establishment then it can claim credit (by way of bed spaces) pro-rata to its contribution to the estabishments running cost. “Domestic violence refuge” means emergency accommodation for persons who have been referred for help having experienced threats to their physical safety and must provide help, advice and adequate support as well as being part of an intergrated local approach to domestic violence involving partnership with other local and statutory bodies.