Committee Report Checklist
Stage 1
Report checklist – responsibility of report owner
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ITEM |
Yes / No |
Date |
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Councillor engagement / input from Chair prior to briefing |
N/A |
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Commissioner engagement (if report focused on issues of concern to Commissioners such as Finance, Assets etc) |
Yes |
18/12/2025 |
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Relevant Group Head review |
Yes |
15/12/2025 |
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MAT+ review (to have been circulated at least 5 working days before Stage 2) |
Yes |
18/12/2025 |
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This item is on the Forward Plan for the relevant committee |
Yes |
02/12/2025 |
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Reviewed by |
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Finance comments |
N/A |
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Risk comments |
LO |
13/01/2026 |
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Legal comments |
LH |
07/01/26 |
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HR comments (if applicable) |
N/A |
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For reports with material financial or legal implications the author should engage with the respective teams at the outset and receive input to their reports prior to asking for MO or s151 comments.
Do not forward to stage 2 unless all the above have been completed.
Stage 2
Report checklist – responsibility of report owner
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ITEM |
Completed by |
Date |
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Monitoring Officer commentary – at least 5 working days before MAT |
L Heron |
07/01/26 |
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S151 Officer commentary – at least 5 working days before MAT |
T.Collier |
07/01/26 |
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Confirm final report cleared by MAT |
Y |
13/01/2026 |
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Title |
Corporate Key Performance Indicator Report – Quarter 2 2025/26 |
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Purpose of the report |
To inform and assure
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Report Author |
Sandy Muirhead – Group Head, Commissioning and Transformation |
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Ward(s) Affected |
All Wards
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Exempt |
No |
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Exemption Reason |
Not applicable |
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Corporate Priority |
Community Addressing Housing Need Resilience Environment Services
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Recommendations
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Committee is asked to: To consider the Corporate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) data for Quarter 2 2025/26. |
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Reason for Recommendation |
The Council has a suite of performance indicators which enable services and the Council to monitor performance over a financial year and address any issues if performance is faltering. |
1. Executive summary of the report (expand detail in Key Issues section below)
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What is the situation |
Why we want to do something |
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· The 2025/26 Q1 Corporate KPI performance results have been published to the Councils external website, demonstrating the Council’s commitment to accountability and continuous improvement. |
• To ensure transparency in activities and performance • To demonstrate the delivery of services |
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This is what we want to do about it |
These are the next steps |
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• Ensure that KPIs are reported across the organisation to highlight the services performance and opportunities for improvement. • Review the current Corporate KPI list to develop an updated set for 2026/27 to ensure the new KPIs align with the Council’s priorities, such as Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), Local Government Reorganisation, and the Improvement and Recovery Plan. |
• Continue to monitor corporate KPIs on a quarterly basis, to highlight performance and identify opportunities for improvement. • Utilise the CFO Insights tool from external auditors Grant Thornton, to provide service benchmarking beyond Surrey. • Publish Q2 Corporate KPI performance results on the Council Website, once the report has been acknowledged by Committee. • Developing a refreshed KPI set for 2026/27 |
2. Key issues
2.1 Key Performance Indicators across services have been monitored in the Council on a quarterly or annual basis (Appendix A) resulting in a final Quarterly report. The resulting KPIs are colour coded where appropriate to provide guidance on whether they have been achieved or not.
2.2 The Council has established a robust framework of 33 Corporate KPIs for 2025/26, approved by CPRC in March 2025. Of these, 30 KPIs are actively monitored, while 3 (from Human Resources) are used solely for comparison.
2.3 The Corporate KPI report includes structured narratives for each KPI, providing valuable context and insight into performance trends. Additionally, background information on selected KPIs helps to explain their relevance and how they contribute to service delivery. This improved format supports more informed decision making and promotes greater transparency and engagement with performance data. Where metrics remain consistent or comparable, references to the previous year’s figures are included to provide a more comprehensive view of the Council’s performance. In cases where indicators have changed significantly, direct comparison is not possible.
2.4 It is important to note that some KPIs are expressed as percentages while others use absolute numbers because they measure different types of performance.
2.5 Percentages are used when the KPI reflects a proportion or rate, such as “percentage of planning minor applications processed within statutory timeframes” or “DFG Applications completed within 6 months.” This shows performance relative to a total, making it easier to compare across different Local Authorities.
2.6 Numbered figures are used when the KPI tracks a count or volume, such as “Average number of days taken to assess new Housing Benefit claims” or “Number of leisure activities delivered in target communities over the year.” These provide concrete quantities that indicate workload or output.
2.7 It is recognised that there is value of providing both percentage and numeric data for greater transparency and operational insight. Where the data is available, we will explore options to include corresponding numeric figures alongside percentage-based KPIs in the 2026/27 reporting cycle.
2.8 A standardised approach to KPI reporting will enhance the Council’s ability to assess performance consistently and identify opportunities for improvement across all services.
2.9 Making KPI data more routinely published and easily accessible will strengthen accountability and help build greater public trust in service performance.
2.10 During 2025/26 Q1, Surrey Chief Executives agreed to discontinue their quarterly benchmarking exercise, due to the significant LGR work underway across all Surrey Councils. Spelthorne will continue to make full use of tools such as CFO insights (provided by external auditors Grant Thornton) to support comparative performance analysis. It is important to note that the availability of comparative data remains limited because official reporting bodies often publish with delays, and KPI metrics can also vary amongst Councils.
2.11 Results
2.12 The Q2 performance report highlights:
2.13 28 out of 30 KPIs are rated green, indicating strong performance across services and showing that targets are largely being met. This reflects strong overall service delivery. Pages 1 and 2 in Appendix A provide a full list of KPI’s along with their RAG status.
2.14 2 KPIs are rated Amber, suggesting performance is slightly below target in this area and may require attention or support.
2.15 KPI B1 – Number of Full time equivalent Registered Building Inspectors is currently rated amber. While the FTE increased in Q2, further recruitment is still required in Q3 and Q4 to reach the target of 4 FTE. Ongoing changes within the Building Control industry in recent years, have continued to affect the ability of Local Authorities to recruit qualified inspectors.
2.16 KPI F1 - Percentage of disputed invoice paid within 30 days is rated amber. The target for this is 100%, and the Council’s performance is slightly below this at 97.02%. While the majority of disputed invoices are being paid within the required timeframe, there remains a small shortfall against the target. Continued monitoring and timely management of disputed invoices will support meeting the expected timeframes.
2.17 All Q2 KPI data have been submitted by services within the given timeframe, demonstrating full reporting coverage and a strong commitment to transparency and accountability. This reflects consistent and reliable data collection across all service areas, contributing to a complete and accurate performance picture.
2.18 Human Resources have three comparative KPIs because they are designed to track trends over time rather than measure performance against fixed targets. HR activity naturally fluctuates due to recruitment cycles and workforce changes, so comparing quarter‑on‑quarter or year‑on‑year provides a more meaningful indication of movement and supports informed workforce planning.
2.19 Benchmarking
2.20 Benchmarking information will be included in the 2025/26 annual report because it relies on complete, validated data from all local authorities for the full financial year. Publishing at year end ensures accuracy, consistency, and fairness in comparisons, as partial or quarterly figures can be misleading due to seasonal variations.
2.21 Benchmarking will include measuring against other West Surrey Councils and statistical near neighbours.
2.22 The use of external benchmarking tools (like CFO Insights) demonstrates a commitment to learning from others and maintaining strategic oversight.
3. Options appraisal and proposal
3.1 As this is a "to acknowledge" report presented for information only, no decision is required at this stage. Therefore, an options analysis has not been included
4. Risk implications
4.1 Extenuating circumstances can mean key performance indicators are not achieved, and this will vary with the service concerned.
4.2 There is a potential risk to changes in legislation which could impact the accuracy or relevance of certain performance statistics. Where feasible, services will assess and adapt the affected KPIs to reflect any legislative changes, ensuring continued relevance and reliability in performance reporting.
4.3 If poor performance is identified through KPI monitoring, services will investigate the underlying causes and implement appropriate mitigation measures. This proactive approach ensures that issues are addressed promptly and that continuous improvement remains a core focus across the organisation.
5. Financial implications
5.1 There are no financial implications. The report covers Corporate KPIs for services and provides performance information.
6. Legal comments
6.1 Performance Management is within the remit of Corporate Policy and Resources Committee; other than that there are no legal implications arising directly from this report.
Corporate implications
7. S151 Officer comments
7.1 The S151 Officer confirms that there are not direct financial implications arising from this report. Good performance management arrangements can help contribute towards picking up on a timely basis issues which may have financial and budgetary implications.
8. Monitoring Officer comments
8.1 The Monitoring Officer confirms that the relevant legal implications have been taken into account.
9. Procurement comments
9.1 There are no procurement implications arising directly from this report.
10. Equality and Diversity
10.1 Services should take account of any equality and diversity issues that impact on delivery of services and therefore on Corporate KPIs.
11. Sustainability/Climate Change Implications
11.1 All services need to build climate change actions within their service activities to meet the Council’s corporate plan and climate change strategy actions and targets.
12. Other considerations
12.1 Not applicable
13. Timetable for implementation
13.1 Corporate KPIs will be reported quarterly to Corporate Policy and Resources Committee, and an annual report will be produced at the end of the 2025/26.
14. Contact
14.1 Sandy Muirhead – s.muirhead@spelthorne.gov.uk
14.2 Leigh Street – l.street@spelthorne.gov.uk
Please submit any material questions to the Committee Chair and Officer Contact by two days in advance of the meeting.
Background papers: There are none.
Appendices:
Appendix A - CORPORATE KPI Q2 2025_26_REPORT