International and Australian Experience with Local Government Performance Indicators

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International and Australian Experience with
Local Government Performance Indicators

• Tony Ward
• Milbur Consulting
• 26 November 2009

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(No Transcript)
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Drug statistics

• Australian ecstasy usage 3 x rate in US, Canada,
  England, other amphetamines 2 x.
• But these data rely on self-reporting affected
  by social attitudes towards drugs
• Query usefulness for local government. Ecstasy
  usage probably higher in Chapel St South Yarra
  than Binney St Euroa. But does this reflect
  performance of Stonnington and Strathbogie
  councils?

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Overseas and Oz experience

• Relevant local government performance measures
  can be developed though may require some work
• Such measures can help improve both performance
  and accountability
• Considerable learning by doing

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Bassetlaw Council housing

• In 2000, 75 of English housing authorities
  completed non-urgent repairs in an average 30
  days
• Bassetlaw Council, north Nottinghamshire took an
  average 129 days

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Bassetlaw Council housing (2)

• Many possible reasons/excuses for bad
  performance poor former coal mining area, aged
  housing stock
• But once comparisons published, Bassetlaw
  reorganised housing management
• By 2005/06 average non-urgent repair times down
  from 129 to 22 days, by 2007/08 to 6 days
• Similar improvements other measures

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England Comprehensive Performance Assessment
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England performance regime

• Comprehensive Performance Assessments by UK Audit
  Commission, 2002 to 2008, gave all councils
  overall ratings
• In 2002, 15 in top category by 2008 42 in top
  category (with tougher criteria)
• Survey of council CEOs in 2008 almost all said
  CPA had helped improved service performance, just
  under 50 CPA had a great deal of impact

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Different approaches

• England top down, regulated approach by Audit
  Commission, with regular central publication of
  results
• Ontario all councils required to publish
  performance results themselves, but Province only
  publishes averages
• USA Federal requirements for federal agencies,
  State programs using federal funds. Voluntary
  involvement by local government, through ICMA
  Centre for Performance Measurement

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US results Casper, Wyoming

• Accident rate for police vehicles in Casper 3.82
  vehicle accidents per 100,000 miles driven by law
  enforcement vehicles
• Average rate across ICMA councils 1.52 per
  100,000 miles

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Casper police vehicle accidents

• Once stats known, staff tried to explain
• Not snow and ice Casper rate still bad cf
  similar councils
• Problem the poor design of police garage in 75
  of accidents cars hit support columns

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Three key questions

• How do we measure effectively the results of what
  we are doing?
• How do these results compare realistically with
  other councils?
• If others are getting better results, how are
  they doing this?

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Oz measures financial

• Impetus from recent reports on local government
  financial sustainability
• All State governments have agreed to start
  comprehensive local government financial
  reporting measures by Dec 2009, with substantial
  implementation by Dec 2010
• Current measures vary somewhat, but similar to
  five tests by Audit Office in Vic

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Oz measures - other

• Vic 11 KPIs in Annual Reports and Local
  Government in Victoria report each year, other
  data on eg asset management, libraries
• NSW annual Comparative Information on NSW Local
  Government Councils report, plus other data
• Qld comparative service expenditure info until
  2006-07
• SA data collected by SALGA, not state
  department, 40 of 68 councils now taking part

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Conclusion

• Performance measurement can have good results in
  improving performance and accountability
• Considerable learning by doing, refining measures
• Techniques vary need to address what works
• How do we measure effectively the results of what
  we are doing?
• How do these results compare realistically with
  other councils?
• If others are getting better results, how are
  they doing this? Can we use these techniques?