Performance Management
Principles
The Government agenda sets out challenging new performance objectives for organisations, from delivery of high quality services that meet the needs of their customers and stakeholders, to doing more within the constraints of available resources, through to continuous organisational improvement.
In response to the demands for improving organisational performance, there needs to be an understanding of how to define and measure performance as part of a concerted strategy for relevant, successful and cost-effective operations. Performance management is a structured way of measuring what your partnership is doing.
It is also a way of actively tracking performance against targets and identifying opportunities for improvement, as the focus of performance management should be about the future - what do you need to be able to do and how can you do things better?
Performance based management at any level in the organisation should be able to demonstrate that: You are aware of the aims
- You know what needs to be undertaken to meet objectives
- You know how to measure progress towards achieving objectives
- You know how to detect performance problems and remedy them
Performance management should be an integrated part of your core business or project lifecycle and should help your organisation mature through evolving and changing performance measures, from their definition through to monitoring and review.
Performance Management Frameworks
An effective performance management framework should concentrate on:
- focusing on outcomes that meet objectives, rather than outputs
- managing performance by using both top down and bottom-up approach
- defining and using measures that evolve over time
- using a mix of short and long term measures, and selecting measures that link cause and effect
- measuring effectiveness (doing the right things) and efficiency (doing things right) in parallel
- Relating individuals' reward and remuneration with achievement of outcomes
Performance Management and CDRPs
Before the review of the Crime and Disorder Act all partnerships had to complete an annual self assessment, measured against a range of criteria, including leadership, audit and strategies, people and partners, resources and process.
This requirement has now been removed, but CDRPs are now part of a performance management framework which delivers the Local Area Agreement in their area.
Some specific performance management tools for CDRPs include the following.
The National Standards for Partnerships. The standards (which CDRPS will be required to adhere to), are to be introduced in summer 2007 and cover the following key areas:
- partnerships’ role in the implementation of a NIM framework to produce annual three year rolling plans, undertake regular strategic assessments and use intelligence led problem-solving approaches to support business processes such as performance, risk and financial management
- the benefits of engaging communities in crime and anti-social behaviour prevention and reduction
- clarity around the roles and responsibilities of partner agency chief officers in providing leadership and strategic direction for the partnership at county, district and unitary level
- ensuring their organisation’s compliance with section 17
- clarity around inter-agency, and local democratic governance and accountability arrangements
- the principles that govern information sharing such as information sharing protocols.
The National Community Safety plan which was covered earlier in this guide is also a way of managing performance.
Public Service Agreement (PSA) Targets. As part of their 5-year Strategic Plan, the Home Office has 7 Public Service Agreements (PSAs) that set their priorities to 2007/08. The relevant targets for CDRPs are: PSA1 - to reduce overall crime by 15%, and more in the high crime areas PSA2 - to reassure the public, reduce the fear of crime and anti-social behaviour, and build confidence in the criminal justice system without compromising fairness PSA3 - to bring 1.25 million offences to justice in 2007/08 PSA4 - to reduce the harm caused by illegal drugs including substantially increasing the number of drug misusing offenders entering treatment through the Criminal Justice System PSA6 - to increase voluntary and community engagement, especially amongst those at risk of
social exclusion. As part of their performance management CDRPs have to provide evidence for how they are contributing to their targets and what progress they have made.
Question
How does your organisation manage its performance? Find out more about what systems you use and how you can contribute to them. In particular look at what information you collect about progress towards meeting the PSAs. Do the performance management systems you have in place help to improve your organisation’s effectiveness, or is there more that you need to do?
Summary
Performance management is a structured way of measuring what your partnership is doing.
Assessment of performance and impact is mainly measured by targets and performance indicators.
LAAs, PSA Targets, National Standards for Partnerships and National Community Safety Plan are all performance management tools.
CDRPs will be increasingly measured under the performance management arrangements for LAAs and LSPs. This will include a greater amount of public accountability.
You’ve now come to the end of Part Three of this Guide, which looked at techniques and tips for working in community safety. The final part, Further Information, gives you details of where to go if you want to learn about some of the topics covered in this guide in more detail.
Hopefully this guide has helped you settle into your new job, but remember that you are now working in a rapidly changing area of work and will need to keep up to date with changes in legislation and policy. The final section of this guide should help you do this.
