Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to obtain Committee approval of the draft performance improvement objectives and indicative actions for 2026-27 (Appendix 1) and to approve their issue for public consultation.

2.0       Recommendation

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

i.       consider and agree the Council’s proposed 2026-27 draft performance improvement objectives and indicative actions (Appendix 1), subject to minor edits based on feedback.

ii.     agree that the proposed 2026-27 draft performance improvement objectives and indicative actions (Appendix 1) are issued for public consultation for a period of 8 weeks.  The draft performance improvement objectives are summarised below for Members:

iii.    note the next steps, as outlined in paragraph 3.4 below

Our people and communities

3.0       Main Report

            Background

3.1       Members will be aware that Councils have a statutory performance improvement duty that requires them to develop and consult on an annual Performance Improvement Plan, which must be published by 30 June each year.

3.2       Potential improvement areas for inclusion in the Performance Improvement Plan 2026-27 have been identified through the corporate planning and estimating process as well as a desk-based review of the evidence base.  Draft improvement objectives and indicative actions are provided for Committee in Appendix 1.

3.3       We will formally consult on the draft performance improvement objectives and indicative actions using the online YourSay Belfast platform for a period of 8 weeks (16 February – 13 April 2026) and we will use a range of other communication methods to help raise awareness and encourage participation/ reach. Members will note that during the public consultation period, the Performance Improvement Plan for 2026-27 (i.e., KPIs and targets) will continue to be refined and a final draft will be brought back to Committee in April 2026 for approval.

            Next steps and timeline

3.4       To ensure the Performance Improvement Plan 2026-27 is published before the statutory deadline of 30 June 2026, the table below sets out the timetable for finalising the plan:

4.0       Financial and Resource Implications

4.1       All priorities are identified through the rate setting process. All agreed activity and performance targets will be reflected within Committee Plans, Departmental Plans, and programme plans, thereby ensuring that they are resourced and managed and improvement is embedded within our planning, performance, and delivery processes.

5.0       Equality of Good Relations Implications /

            Rural Needs Assessment

5.1       There are no equality, good relations or rural needs implications arising directly from this report.”

            During discussion, in response to a Member’s suggestion to include the first phase of the Leisure Transformation Programme, including Girdwood, in the draft performance objectives, the Director of City and Organisational Strategy advised that the document would be updated to reflect this, together with further details of the objectives and actions under the ‘Our Planet’ section.

            After discussion, the Committee adopted the recommendations and noted the inclusion of the first phase of the Leisure Transformation Programme, including Girdwood, to the draft performance objectives.