This is the performance update for quarter 3, 2024 to 2025.
Each of the reported actions that remains in progress at the reporting date has a green, amber or red status. Otherwise it is marked as completed.
One action has been parked, with reasons provided in the comments.
The colours represent the progress made in relation to each action. Green indicates that progress is being made as per our planned schedule. The numbers represent how many actions have been allocated that status.
Status
Green
22
Amber
11
Red
2
Completed
4
Action details
Select an action to learn more about what we've been doing.
ORG.1.01 - Redevelop corporate performance reports to provide accessible and transparent information
Directorate: Communities
Stage: Completed
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 100%
Status: Green
Comments:
Further improvements to reporting were made during quarter 2 to enhance the financial information and provide additional performance information on direction of travel for indicators. All changes for reporting in the current financial year have now been completed.
ORG.1.02 - Enable delivery of business change programme’s 2024 to 2025 savings and non-financial benefits
Directorate: Resources
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 60%
Status: Red
Comments:
The focus of some programmes remains on enabling work to facilitate future financial and non-financial benefits. Whilst some non-financial benefits are now being delivered, such as increasing knowledge through climate change training, improved readiness for new procurement regulations and developing improved efficiency through the Copilot trial, the financial benefits are limited.
This action remains RAG rated red as the level of revenue savings delivered across the programme remains low and the targets will not be met this financial year. However, the financial benefits delivered by the Workforce Retention and Recruitment programme are on track to exceed the (cost avoidance) target for this year.
ORG.1.03 - Rebrand and relaunch printed residents’ magazine, including print, delivery and e-newsletter
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 50%
Status: Amber
Comments:
Progress has stalled slightly due to staff capacity (vacancies and long-term sickness) in quarter 3. Work on preliminary design concepts and editorial guidelines has started and it was agreed to delay the work to rename the publication through public poll until after Christmas.
ORG.1.04 - Implement the outstanding provisions of the Elections Act 2022
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 75%
Status: Green
Comments:
Final review of last provisions of the Elections Act currently underway with all significant elements now delivered.
ORG.1.05 - Review Registration and Electoral Services to create effective, resilient service
Directorate: Communities
Stage: Completed
Due date: 30 September 2024
Percentage complete: 100%
Status: Green
Comments:
This review is complete and was implemented from 2 September 2024, slightly ahead of target.
The review resulted in a reorganisation of both teams which achieved a saving and provides extra resilience.
ORG.1.06 - Undertake review of council constitution
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 December 2024
Percentage complete: 75%
Status: Green
Comments:
Work completed on Member Officer Protocol. To be approved by Council in March 2025. Now progressing update of public participation schemes.
ORG.1.07 - Implement Strong Heath and London Road (toilet facility, charging hub and solar farm)
Directorate: Place
Stage: Parked
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 15%
Status: Red
Comments:
London Road potential for Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station, solar photovoltaic (PV) farm and battery storage for distributed energy is now paused and will not be included in the quarter 4 report.
This is because the proposed investment required to connect to the SSEN network is quoted £1.63 million plus costs of enabling (such as trench excavation, road closure and so on). The proposed use of this site for this purpose will be revisited when a suitable funding stream can be identified.
ORG.1.08 - Implement a revised legal service offer
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 25%
Status: Amber
Comments:
No activity in quarter 3 due to workload pressures. Activity to implement a revised legal service offer will resume in quarter 4.
ORG.1.09 - Support councillors to develop skills and knowledge to be effective in their role(s)
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 75%
Status: Green
Comments:
Planning underway for the annual learning and development report including workshops with councillors in quarter 4 to hear their feedback on their induction to the council over the last 18 months.
ORG.1.10 - Development of overview and scrutiny to provide effective challenge and reviews
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 40%
Status: Green
Comments:
The Transition Review report is being drafted and is awaiting final sign off in February 2025. The Social Housing Review scope is being drafted. The Overview and Scrutiny Commission agreed a variant to the work programme, to include a review of Ringmead GP Surgery.
ORG.1.11 - Deliver Police and Crime Commissioner election and unscheduled polls without legal challenge
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 90%
Status: Green
Comments:
Financial reconciliation underway with final deadline for submission in February 2025.
ORG.1.12 - Improve Freedom of Information process and publication scheme for transparency and visibility to general public
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 50%
Status: Green
Comments:
The product development has been slightly delayed due to resource issues. Development activity will begin again in January 2025.
ORG.1.13 - Establish corporate complaints policy and system to promote compliance and support improvement
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 85%
Status: Green
Comments:
Development of complaints management system is on track. Agile testing has been carried out as functionality has been released and user training has been delivered.
Final testing, involving a number of business users, will take place mid-late January.
Internal launch is planned for the end of January 2025, with general complaints going live externally in February 2025 and all complaints going live in March 2025.
ORG.1.15 - Lead Efficiency and Digitisation change programme to deliver financial and non-financial benefits
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 70%
Status: Amber
Comments:
During the last quarter good progress has been made on developing clear improvement plans, building on the analysis work undertaken in the first half of the year.
The application review has been completed and digital improvement work continues.
This action is RAG rated amber as identifying revenue savings for year one continues to be challenging, however year 2 and beyond revenue savings are being identified and investigated, as well as opportunities for finding capacity savings.
ORG.1.16 - Develop self-assessment for adult social care, preparing for national assurance
Directorate: People
Stage: Completed
Due date: 30 September 2024
Percentage complete: 100%
Status: Green
Comments:
Comprehensive self-assessment for Adult Social Care produced and submitted as part of the Care Quality Commission assurance process (up to 31 December 2023) resulting in an overall outcome of 'good'.
Ongoing work is taking place with teams to make sure our self-assessment continues to reflect current practice and developments.
ORG.1.17 - Complete build and procurement of care and housing providers for Bridgewell project
Directorate: People
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 75%
Status: Amber
Comments:
The building work is behind due to adverse weather estimated to be 5 weeks and 2 days. The timetable has been amended to reflect this.
The Invitation to Tender (ITT) closed on 16 December 2024 and evaluation will now start with presentation being on 22 January 2025. Timeline is in place for the assessments to be completed in preparation for court submission.
This has been rated amber until the tender bidders have delivered a comprehensive presentation.
ORG.1.18 - Deliver priorities set out in Health and Care plan and refresh for 2025 to 2026
Directorate: People
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 75%
Status: Green
Comments:
Mid-point refresh 2023 to 2025 and Health and Care Dashboard quarter 2 complete with identifiable quantitative measures.
Health and Care Plan 2025 to 2026 in development.
ORG.1.19 - Coordinate implementation of the new All-Age Carers strategy
Directorate: People
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 75%
Status: Green
Comments:
Action plan developed. This will be signed off by the Executive Director: People and lead members.
Work stream leads identified. Working groups established which are now progressing delivery.
Work stream leads providing quarterly highlight reports to the partnership board to monitor progress.
ORG.1.20 - Implement new, updated powers, systems and processes to improve street and road work co-ordination
Directorate: Place
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 75%
Status: Green
Comments:
New powers were announced by the Department for Transport (DfT) in late December 2024 which will require regulations before becoming available.
ORG.1.21 - Implement and embed new Planning and Building Control IT System
Directorate: Place
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 25%
Status: Red
Comments:
Due to delays within the procurement process the new system will not be available before the 31 March 2025 and therefore it will not be possible for the system to be implemented and embedded within this financial year.
The contract has yet to be awarded (as at 9 January) but it is anticipated that this will happen week starting 13 January. Migration of data to take place thereafter with new system due to be operational from September 2025.
Planning section has undertaken review of all letter templates prior to migration and will continue to work with the project board team to expedite the implementation process.
ORG.2.01 - Create new strategies for Digital, Customer Focus and ICT including Information Governance
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 December 2024
Percentage complete: 30%
Status: Amber
Comments:
Planned recruitment to the Head of ICT and Information Governance, customer services and libraries consultation and planned merger have required a pause on this activity, meaning it is currently amber.
Progress is likely to be delayed until the end of quarter 4, but the current strategy continues to be relevant and work around emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, is managed under business as usual activity.
ORG.2.02 - Update retention and destruction policy to reduce costs, adhering to statutory and local policy
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 40%
Status: Green
Comments:
Work has continued reviewing and updating the service retention schedules to make sure they align with data protection requirements.
Sensitivity labels continue to be rolled out to the organisation to improve document identification.
The first round of unused Microsoft TEAM sites has reached defined deletion periods and been removed.
ORG.2.03 - Identify flexible receipts disposals and sell properties to achieve capital receipts target
Directorate: Place
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 75%
Status: Green
Comments:
Capital Receipts identified. A highlight report on progress will be received by Council Management Team on 8 January 2025 which will identify options to defer some receipt until financial year 2025 to 2026. There remains some risk of non-delivery of target as the remaining disposals to achieve receipts are purchaser led.
ORG.2.04 - Increase automation approach to reduce manual processes and increase capacity
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 20%
Status: Green
Comments:
The identification of Application Programming Interface (API) availability within existing applications to support the production of an interoperability map to improve the use of existing capabilities has been completed and is currently being assessed to identify under-utilised opportunities.
The digital services team look for Artificial Intelligence (AI) opportunities when designing new products and where the capability exists within the design tools.
ORG.2.05 - Adopt new technology to improve resilience and efficiency of the highway network
Directorate: Place
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 75%
Status: Green
Comments:
A trial of real-time carriageway temperature sensors is underway to enable better targeting of winter gritting across the borough, with a potential reduction in cost and road user risk.
The first phase of data collection is complete from winter 2023 to 2024. A second phase data collection will start with the start of the winter service plan (from 31 October).
ORG.2.06 - Use increased capital funding for planned highway work to reduce pressure on reactive work
Directorate: Place
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 90%
Status: Green
Comments:
Capital planned highway maintenance works are substantially complete with both the surface dressing and In lay programmes completed.
There are some highway structures maintenance works still to be completed together with minor skid resistance and footway maintenance programmes.
ORG.2.07 - Make sure spending is within approved budget, monitored through monthly reporting to DMTs and CMT
Directorate: Resources
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 75%
Status: Amber
Comments:
The returns provided by all directorates include a forecast variance against the approved budget plus any emerging issues that are likely to affect the position but cannot be accurately quantified at this point.
Across the council, variances have been identified indicating expenditure is projected to be £0.552 million below the approved budget, after taking into account the remaining balance on the Corporate Contingency (£3.748 million).
Once emerging issues are included, there is a potential overspend of £0.584 million. This is an improvement of £0.800 million on reported variances and £1.374 million including emerging issues since the CPOR quarter 2 but is still cause for concern.
The Corporate Management Team has taken several actions to make sure the budget is not overspent by the year end and as a result the projected overspend is reducing monthly.
ORG.3.01 - Incorporate low carbon opportunities within highway network activities
Directorate: Place
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 80%
Status: Green
Comments:
The electric power pack to replace the petrol generator for hand-held plant is now operational. LED illumination levels are now reduced by 10% and will reduce energy consumption.
The exploration for the potential use of Recofoam is underway. This is a treated recycled material used in the construction and maintenance of road structures. This project remains at the feasibility stage whilst a trial site is identified.
ORG.3.02 - Lead climate change culture change project delivering year 1 activities and benefits
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 80%
Status: Green
Comments:
This project continues to make good progress and remains on track to deliver its objectives by April 2025.
ORG.4.01 - Launch new corporate comms strategy, deliver year 1 priorities including stakeholder engagement
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 30 June 2024
Percentage complete: 60%
Status: Amber
Comments:
Work has stalled on a couple of priorities (residents' magazine and translation and interpretation contract) due to staff capacity in quarter 3 (staff vacancies and long-term sickness).
Work is progressing against other priorities including training new routine publicity officers, which is set up for early January 2025.
ORG.4.02 - Procure external interpretation and translation company to support accessible comms with all
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 30%
Status: Amber
Comments:
Work is still ongoing with the translation and interpretation specification. The procurement process is taken longer than anticipated and staff capacity due to a smaller team and illness has also created a delay.
ORG.4.03 - Develop Communities Strategy and work with residents for resilient and cohesive communities
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 40%
Status: Green
Comments:
The Cabinet have endorsed the approach to developing the strategy as a 10-year borough wide partnership strategy to be co-produced.
A new Community Resilience and Cohesion Partnership chaired by the Cabinet Member will oversee its development.
Preparatory work on collating a community data pack and stakeholder mapping has been completed. The council will work with partners in quarter 4 to develop the community engagement plan.
ORG.4.04 - Investigate feasibility for calculating the council’s scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 10%
Status: Green
Comments:
A Cabinet paper will recommend the councils preferred approach to measuring scope 3 emissions in Q4 2025 to 26.
ORG.4.05 - Lead digital “front door” corporate approach and set organisation's standards of adherence
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 30%
Status: Green
Comments:
Customer Services has been investigating approaches for maintaining standards in call handling and achieving consistency of approach, as a result, a digital scorecard has been developed which is being trialled by the Customer Services team.
An automated visitor management system, to support the check-in arrangements for those visitors with pre-arranged meetings at Time Square, has been implemented. The system is currently being used by a defined group, whose feedback will help to inform next steps. The system supports the objective of providing a digital front door at the main reception desk.
ORG.4.06 - Integrate co-design approach to efficiency and digitisation programme
Directorate: Communities
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 30%
Status: Amber
Comments:
The 3 proof-of-concept projects are moving through the different stages of the new operating model, which supports the emerging requirements of the Efficiency and Digitisation programme.
The complaints proof of concept is nearing delivery of a minimal viable product in January 2025. Staff training for product users is underway.
The Freedom of Information project has moved through feasibility and is now in the initial development phase (although slightly delayed).
The co-design approach has been well engaged and has enabled quick delivery of small Microsoft Power Apps product for the Look Out with further work for other teams currently under development.
ORG.4.07 - Lead public engagement on Local Transport Plan and Supplementary Planning Documents
Directorate: Place
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 55%
Status: Amber
Comments:
New Local Transport Plan (LTP4) subject to public consultation process ending on 30 December 2024.
Town Centre Masterplans Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) adopted in October 2024.
Housing SPD subject to public consultation during October and November 2024 and due for adoption February 2025.
Biodiversity Net Gain SPD put on hold (see Action ENV.2.02) awaiting additional guidance to be published by government and reciprocal monitoring and management arrangement being established with other Responsible Body.
Additional research being undertaken to support draft Parking SPD.
It is unlikely that all of these documents will be adopted within the current financial year however the impetus to continue to produce Transport Policy and supplementary planning documents continues.
ORG.5.01 - Lead Workforce: Retention and Recruitment programme, deliver financial and non-financial benefits
Directorate: Resources
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 75%
Status: Green
Comments:
Work continues to identify opportunities to reduce high-cost or long-term agency roles, including opportunities to convert agency to permanent roles where possible. This programme has an ambitious savings target of £1 million per annum for 3 years. The programme is on track to exceed that savings target for year one.
ORG.5.02 - Improve workforce permanency reducing the need for agency workers
Directorate: Resources
Stage: In progress
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 35%
Status: Amber
Comments:
There have been successful transfers from agency to permanency for 3 roles in the quarter and the business change target to reduce agency spend is on track. Whilst the successful transfers are welcomed, there continues to be challenges with the local recruitment market for a number of roles - in particular across social care.
Further work is being undertaken in this area together with exploring new recruitment approaches. In the meantime the reliance on some agency workers remains.
ORG.6.01 - Establishment and programme management of Berkshire Prosperity Board
Directorate: Place
Stage: Completed
Due date: 31 March 2025
Percentage complete: 100%
Status: Green
Comments:
The Prosperity Board has now been established and programme management is being lead by the project manager who is line managed by Wokingham Borough Council.
ORG.6.02 - Development of a new Social Value Policy in compliance with legislation
Directorate: Resources
Stage: In progress
Due date: 30 September 2024
Percentage complete: 95%
Status: Green
Comments:
Policy being adopted as part of overall contract standing order preparations.