Performance Management Framework

Corporate Planning

The foundation of successful performance management is a coherent approach to corporate planning and a clear understanding of what the Council’s strategic objectives are. It is impossible to monitor progress without first defining what the Council is trying to achieve.

Broadly speaking, there are four steps in our performance management cycle which consist of:

• Identifying our wellbeing objectives (strategic priorities) – set out in our Corporate Strategy (at least every two years).
• Planning and delivering action – Directorate and service plans (annual).
• Measuring our performance – Scorecards e.g. Corporate Scorecard, Social Services & Housing Directorate Scorecard (monthly/quarterly).
• Reporting and reviewing our progress – Annual Self-Assessment and five-yearly external Panel Performance Assessment.

 

This follows the plan, do, monitor, review continuous cycle that is the basis of an effective approach to performance management.

In seeking to ensure that there is widespread ownership of the Council’s wellbeing objectives, we involve a broad range of stakeholders at each stage of this process, including when developing what our objectives should be. Performance is monitored in a range of managerial and elected member  forums, e.g. Senior Leadership Team, Overview & Scrutiny Committees and Cabinet.

An effective performance management framework should enable any individuals working for an organisation to identify how their work contributes to achieving the organisation’s overall objectives. We achieve this by compiling and publishing a hierarchy of aligned plans that links strategic objectives, through to service priorities and delivery, and to individual activity in a coherent way.  This link is often referred to as the 'Golden Thread':

• Well-being Plan for Pembrokeshire – This is a Pembrokeshire-wide plan which sets out how key public, private and third sector organisations will work collectively and collaboratively to improve well-being in Pembrokeshire over the period of 2023-2028. It is produced in partnership with a range of other organisations. It describes the issues that are important to Pembrokeshire and identifies the approach that a range of organisations will adopt in attempting to tackle them. The Wellbeing Plan is approved by the Pembrokeshire Public Services Board (PSB) and endorsed by the Council (as well as the Boards of other organisations). It is aligned with the seven national wellbeing goals set out in the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act 2015.  The Well-being plan is renewed every five years.
• Programme for the Administration – this document sets out the political aims and aspirations of Cabinet.
• Corporate Strategy – This is the Council’s overarching plan which sets out the strategic direction over a five-year period. It identifies our statutory Wellbeing Objectives, establishes headline priorities, and how progress will be measured. The most recent version is for 2025-2030 and was adopted by Council on 6^th March 2025. The Strategy is reviewed at least every two years, taking into account the political direction set by the administration, and to reflect any emerging issues, challenges and opportunities.
• Directorate and Service Plans – Services will either produce individual plans or, in some instances a directorate plan is produced to encourage and improve integrated working. These plans look out over a medium term horizon (three years) and are reviewed and refreshed annually. Each plan sets out the key actions for improvement in each of our service areas. The actions identified are linked to the National Wellbeing Goals for Wales, as well as the Wellbeing Objectives described in our Corporate Strategy. The plans also require Directors, Heads of Service and Managers to provide an assessment of performance for the previous year. All plans are scrutinised and signed-off by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) which enables strategic oversight as well as identifying opportunities for cross-departmental working in areas such as IT or HR. These plans are also aligned with the Medium Term Financial Plan, and used as the starting point for the development of the next year’s budget.
• Individual appraisals: Feedback, Focus and Future – As of March 2025, the Council has started to roll-out new personal development system, ‘Feedback, Focus and Future’.  This process aims to give employees recognition for their hard work, and an opportunity to speak about how they are getting on in their role within a safe environment, with a greater focus on employee wellbeing and development. The new process is system of continuous appraisal (rather than annual) and will ensure that important discussions are held in a timely manner including those on contributions to the Council’s objectives. The new system encourages conversations around work-life balance, managing workload, employee learning, skills improvement and development, and future aspirations.