Council plan overview report - Quarterly updates on key performance indicators

The result is measured against a target. 

It is usually related directly to a council service and an indicator of service effectiveness, efficiency or success.

The result is measured against a forecast. 

It is usually outcome focussed and often not fully in the council’s control. 

Contextual indicators are included as they may impact service delivery, demand and the achievement of wider council goals.

The team has a good understanding of the work activities of care leavers and continues to work closely with Business Intelligence to ensure Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET/EET) status is recorded in line with government guidance. The latest available result of 42.9% is positive and progressive in line with the quarter 2 reported result of 59.5%. Of the 132 care leavers aged 18 to 21 years at the end of quarter 3, 48 were NEET (35%). Reasons include pregnancy, parenting or illness, which confirms that those ready for EET is better than the latest result suggests.

A commitment to supporting Care Leavers to get into EET remains at the forefront of the Leaving Care offer and the council continues to embed the Corporate Parenting strategy across all operational areas. During quarter 3, as part of our Care Leavers month, we held a Care Leaver specific ‘Work Experience Week’. This involved several council-wide services and was completed by 9 care leavers all of whom now have up-to-date CV’s and have submitted multiple job applications. In an ambitious move, multiple ‘Young Experts’ have been recruited into paid roles within the council - all filled by young Care Leavers and many within the 18 to 21 age range. Moving forward, the council is committed to embedding Young Experts, sustaining their employment and developing pathways for future Care Leavers to progress into paid employment and help shape the service delivery.

The introduction of the Connect 2 Work (C2W) incentive (part of ‘Get Britain Working’ and ‘Get Berkshire Working’), will strengthen the offer to NEET Care Leavers and work towards the target of 30 for quarter 4. In the next phase of C2W, there is a commitment to focus on support for vulnerable Care Leavers, for example, those with health issues or disabilities.

The total visits to leisure centres in the borough during quarter 3 is below the ambitious target set for the period, but is an 8,134 increase on the same period last year. Total visits year to date is also positive, with 1,088,911 visits vs. 1,014,851 at quarter 3 2024 to 2025.  

Visits from targeted groups such as children and young people, older people and those with disabilities, are strong and have seen an increase compared to last year.

Visits to Bracknell Leisure Centre are strong. No one, single activity is driving the increase in numbers, although there were a number of large and well attended events in quarter 3. Fitness attendance is higher, following the launch of new fitness products earlier in the year, a focus on promoting the lower attended general exercise classes and casual visit spa promotions.

Coral Reef visitor numbers are down slightly against the same period last year, although the number of sessions available in December was reduced, increasing occupancy in open sessions. Several promotions will be running to encourage attendance from local residents in January.

Visits to Downshire Golf Club were consistent.

The annual target has been apportioned across the quarters equally because, although there are some seasonal variances across sites and fluctuations depending on promotions, the biggest impact is weather. The winter months can be a quieter period for some activities, but not others. Visits are expected to be at, or above, target at quarter 4.

Latest available performance data is for quarter 2 shows a decrease compared to the previous quarter, but there is a significant increase in NHS Health Checks completed compared to quarter 4, and in comparison to the same time last year.

The council has commissioned a new data management system to monitor NHS Health Check activity. This system will enable comprehensive reporting on key metrics, demographics, and referral outcomes. It will also support claims and payments processing, with dashboards accessible to GP practices to enhance service delivery. 

In addition, work is progressing with the Integrated Care Board and Berkshire East colleagues to establish a governance framework for local NHS Health Check delivery and develop health promotions and campaigns to increase awareness and encourage uptake of NHS Health Checks.

Provisional key stage 4 data indicates that the average attainment 8 figure for pupils considered disadvantaged has dropped from 32.8 in 2024, to 31.6 in 2025. 

This is broadly in line with statistical neighbours (31.8), and the figure for the South East 32) but is below the national figure of 34.9. 

The gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers continues to be of the highest priority and underpins the rationale for the new Learning Improvement Strategy.

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils attaining the expected standard in reading, writing and maths by the end of key stage 2 has remained static from 2024. 

This figure is slightly below that of our statistical neighbours (38.3%) and is 12% lower than the national figure for the same group. 

A wide gap remains between this cohort of pupils and their non-disadvantaged peers. This gap remains of the highest priority and underpins the rationale behind the new Learning Improvement Strategy.

In the past 6 years Bracknell Forest Council's child protection plan (CPP) rate per 10,000 has been higher than Statistical Neighbours (SN) and England (Eng) with the anomaly only at end 2023 to 2024 when it dropped, in line with the SN and Eng. At end of quarter 3 the result is 64.7% - the second highest percentage in the past 6 years and 5% higher than at end 2024 to 2025. 

Several factors potentially contribute to these high rates. Some of these include:  

• Bracknell Forest is one of the least deprived councils (284th of 317) - child protection thresholds are potentially low in correlation with the community affluence
• there has been a 10% growth in the child population in Bracknell Forest between 2011 and 2024
• children in need of social care services has risen and there is a possible correlation in the higher numbers of neglect category for children on a CPP in Bracknell Forest

One qualifying site was granted planning permission during quarter 3 (land east of Old Priory Lane and west of Maize Lane, Warfield Area 1, Land Parcel 2). Of the 27 dwellings, 7 are to be affordable (26%). This is in line with the 25% agreed under the outline permission (20/00214/OUT) which was approved prior to the adoption of the Bracknell Forest Local Plan. It was in accordance with the council’s policy at the time.  

The 2025 to 2026 forecast of 35% relates to the development plan requirement under Bracknell Forest Local Plan (2024) Policy LP 16. It applies to new homes on sites of 10 dwellings or more (gross) or which have an area of 0.5 ha or more. It also applies to specialist housing for older people where the site is delivering a gain of 10 or more (gross) self-contained units (C3 and C2). The 35% can only be applied to permissions granted since the adoption of the Bracknell Forest Local Plan in March 2024.

1.4.3.a KR Reception Year children overweight or obese (%) is reported to replace the original 2025 to 2026 service plan indicator ‘Number of children engaged in the creative conversations on healthy eating’, which was removed from the report at quarter 2 as the pilot programme was not extended.   

To reflect the importance of children’s health to the delivery of the Council Plan priority ‘Engaged and healthy communities’, 2 alternative indicators have been chosen, in line with National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) instead.  

The second replacement indicator, ‘% of Year 6 children overweight or obese’, will be reported at quarter 4 when data is available.

The latest available data (July 2024 to June 2025) shows a slight increase in the unemployment figure from the previous reporting quarter, when it was 3.1%. Bracknell Forest unemployment is slightly below the regional (South East) and national (Great Britain), currently 3.5% and 4.1% respectively. 

The Bracknell Forest Skills Hub will cease operations at the end of March 2026 due to funding coming to an end. However, the new Youth Employment Hub opened at the Open Learning Centre in early January and will provide continued support for young people in the borough. Working alongside Jobcentre Plus colleagues, the team works with young people to remove barriers, create opportunities and make a lasting difference to their futures.  A webpage with further information is in development and the service will be promoted through the usual channels.

The footfall data is not currently available. The scope to measure the town centre performance is being reviewed following the recent change of ownership for the Lexicon scheme.

The Lexicon have reported another strong quarter, with both footfall and sales continuing to grow. Many retailers and tenants have reported record-breaking periods. Occupancy is now at its highest level since the redevelopment and the response to recent activities has been overwhelmingly positive.  

Highlights include our best-ever Friday during the Festive Friday event, incredible community support for the Christmas light switch-on and charity initiatives rolling into the festive season that exceeded targets.

This result is for quarter 2 is reported a quarter behind due to the timing of the data release from our contractors.

Unfortunately, in both August and September this year, higher than usual levels of contamination were found in collected recycling from blue bins. There is no material or contaminant that can be identified as a new issue to cause the increased result.

This indicator is driven by resident behaviour and is a common problem across other local authorities and waste collection services. It is hard to compare data directly however as waste collection policies and processes differ across councils. 

The council's Environmental Services team and their waste collection contractor work hard to raise awareness of the correct materials to recycle in the blue bin. There are regular communications on social media and in newsletters, as well as targeted communication with households that persistently put the wrong items in their recycling bins. 

The collection operatives look for contamination before emptying the recycling bins, however they can only see what is visible near the top of the bin. If contaminants are visibly present, then they do not empty the bin and leave an advisory notice on the bin. On average the collection crews reject 1,300 blue bins per month. 

When issues arise at flats the council team engages with managing agents and housing associations as well as residents to try and improve the management of waste and ensure residents are using the correct bins for their recycling. 

The data will continue to be monitored closely and communications are planned across various channels to encourage correct use of the blue bins during 2026.

No new planning permissions have been granted with Open Space of Public Value (OSPV) or Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) land since quarter 2, so the result has not changed.  

The quarterly forecast is dependent on the granting of individual planning permissions and therefore the amounts secured will not provide consistent data on an equal basis. Meeting the annual forecast by 31 March 2026 is reliant on more planning applications being approved.

While there is potential for OSPV and SANG to be secured in the remainder of the year, meeting the annual forecast is partly outside of the council's control. There may be instances when a large scheme is approved it will secure the whole year target amounts. There are 2 Section 106 agreements in progress but on complicated sites which may or may not be completed before the end of quarter 4.

Financial forecasts are now in place and a result for this indicator is available further to the report at quarter 2. The Safety Valve programme initiatives are forecast to deliver a cumulative saving of £948,000, through new models of specialist service delivery. Importantly, these remodelled services are also improving outcomes for Children and Young People (CYP) with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). 

The overall cost of placements continues to increase due to growing demand and increasing unit costs. 

However, Safety Valve initiatives are on track to deliver further savings against budget of £1,295,000 across all provision types (mainstream, Specialist Resource Provision, special schools, independent schools, post-16 settings and alternative provision). 

This is forecast to lead to a net pressure of £1,000,000 this financial year, instead of the £2,295,000 pressure that would have been forecast without Safety Valve interventions.

A further £62,500 has been delivered this quarter through the digitalisation and efficiency programme, with a further £62,500 due to be delivered by the end of the financial year. No new savings have been delivered through the neighbourhood regeneration and assets programme this quarter.   

As reported under action ORG.1.02, while some revenue savings have been identified through the neighbourhood regeneration and assets programme, the current programme will not deliver the scale of savings required. 

The programme is being reprioritised and aligned to the three-year strategic planning to achieve savings over a longer term.

The percentage of staff undertaking an apprenticeship went up to 4.2% this quarter.  

National Apprenticeship Week is in February and there will be a number of awareness activities taking place during the week.  

Managers are still be encouraged to look at apprenticeships for difficult to fill roles. 

Funding for Level 7 apprenticeships has now been withdrawn so we may see a reduction in numbers as the higher-level programmes were popular in Bracknell Forest.

The council’s legal fees are charged to the developers for the drafting negotiation and completion of Section 106 (S106) agreements. Developers pay the legal fees on completion. Five S106 Agreements have been completed within quarter 3, in addition to 6 in quarter 2 and the same in quarter 1.

Year to date, £44,779 has been received against a year-to-date forecast of £82,600. The number of S106 agreements to be negotiated, value and timing of the payment of legal fees are not within the council's control.  

Therefore, while it is likely that there will be some income received as a result of completions due during quarter 4, the value of legal fees to be received cannot be guaranteed.  Given the current result, it is possible that the year-end forecast of £117,500 will not be reached.

The percentage of disabled staff continues to be below forecast but has risen slightly this quarter and is better than the result at the same time last year (4.6%). 

There is still a large gap in the self-recording of disability on the HR system.   

Regular requests go out to ask staff to update their personal details on the system, the latest being in quarter 3 which reminded staff to review all personal details, including disability, which may be the reason behind the improved result.