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Performance and Improvement
Performance and Improvement
Kingston has a reputation as a high-performing low-spending council. Over recent years, this has been confirmed by a number of external inspections. In our 2006 Comprehensive Performance Assessment we were rated as a 3 star council that is improving well. However we are ambitious to improve further, demonstrating progress in all our service areas - particuarly those our residents have highlighted as most important.
The freedoms gained following an excellent CPA assessment provided the opportunity for the council to focus on our own improvement priorities - providing quality services to all our communities. We now have the freedom to use the principles of Best Value as tools to drive forward RBK's priorities and we have committed to an ambitious programme to improve the way we work as a council and how we deliver key services.
Work to achieve our improvement priorities is delivered through a co-ordinated approach to improvement planning, owned and driven by the Executive, Neighbourhoods and the Corporate Development Team. The council has put in place a Policy Programme setting out the key objectives for improvement in services and an Improvement Programme to drive review and policy planning work..
In 2004 we completed our first Community Plan. This plan, written alongside our key partners, sets our a future vision for the borough and will provide a strategic overview to all the policy and planning work we do.
Policy Programme
Our Policy Programme concentrates clear objectives - currently 24 - in which we are confident we can demonstrate measurable improvement. These objectives are linked to our strategic aims and each one has clear and acheivable goals. The most recent information on our progress on these objectives is found in our Best Value Performance Plan.
Improvement Programme
Our Improvement Programme deals with more complex issues where our approach is still being determined. This is a mix of short-term service improvement, determining how to secure services for the future and improving the way we work as a Council.
We are also using Local Public Service Agreements (LPSA's) - as a way of demonstrating real service improvements in areas that matter most to our residents. We have 12 targets, agreed with central government, in a variety of service areas. If we reach our targets by April 2006, we will receive extra funding for that service area.
Key Resources
Annual Audit Letters
Each year the Audit Commission assess the functions of the Council and publish a report. You can read the most recent reports below or please see our Financial Information pages for more information.
Contact us
For any further information on Performance and Improvement work in the Royal Borough of Kingston, please contact:
Chief Policy Officer
Telephone: 020 8547 5401
Email: performance@rbk.kingston.gov.uk