Public performance reports

Percentage of invoices that were paid within 30 days – Target 90%

A continued increase in the number of payment runs per week and changes to payment terms in 2021-22 for essential services during Covid led to suppliers being paid earlier than normal. We have now reverted back to standard payment terms and one pay run per week, with the annual target of 90% continuing to be achieved.

To see how we compare against other councils, the data is available on the public performance reporting tool mylocalcouncil

Percentage of income due from Council Tax received by the end of the tax year – Target 94.0%

The improved collection rate is largely due to the full resumption of recovery activity throughout 2021-22. This is in contrast to 2020-21, where recovery action was suspended for the first 4 months of the financial year due to the impact of Covid. South Lanarkshire’s performance continues to be better than the Scottish average. Work to maximise Council Tax income collection will continue in 2022-23, utilising all available recovery methods.

To see how we compare against other councils, the data is available on the public performance reporting tool my local council.

Total useable reserves as a % of council annual budgeted revenue

The council has seen a slight reduction in useable reserves as a percentage of the council budget. While there was an actual increase in the level of useable reserves (as a result of the Loans Fund Review and also the carry forward of residual COVID funding at the end of 2021-22), there was a greater increase in the council’s annual expenditure Budget, meaning that arithmetically, the percentage of useable reserves to annual budget reduces. The important factor to consider is the purpose and use of reserves, and the fact is that the council is clear on what reserves we have, and their purpose of them. The carrying forward of Covid funding will diminish as it is utilised in the coming year, however, the use of Loans Fund Review Reserves will affect the figures for the next few years and will be a main part of the reason for our increased level of reserves. The key factor is that the reserves are sufficient.

Ratio of financing costs to net revenue stream - General Fund

This ratio shows a minor reduction in the council’s ratio of financing costs to net revenue stream. The overall reduction reflects reduced loan charges combined with an increase in income (Council Tax, NDR and Non Ring Fenced Government Grants). The position reflects the product of strategic, sustained capital investment in schools and roads over more than twenty years.

Ratio of financing costs to net revenue stream - Housing Revenue Account

There is a minor reduction in percentage terms.

Support services as a percentage of total gross expenditure

There has been a small increase in the cost of support as a percentage of the total budget – this is a combination of an increase in support costs and also an increase in the total net budget. These result in an overall minor increase in the percentage.

The percentage of the highest paid 5% of employees who are women 

There has been an increase in the proportion of women in the top 5% earners in the Council between 2020-21 and 2021-22. We continue to work in line with our current policies and processes to ensure that our female employees at that top end (which can shift depending on where the 5% falls), are being progressed appropriately. Our picture is improving year on year and we need to keep a focus on that along with the work that we continue to do in line with our equalities duties.

The gender pay gap

Although the gender pay gap position in South Lanarkshire Council is improving, South Lanarkshire’s performance compares less favourably to some other councils where they have outsourced services with predominantly female workforces. Personnel services carry out regular Equal Pay Audits to monitor pay to identify any unfair, unjust, or unlawful practices that impact pay, and take appropriate remedial action. We will continue to plan and implement actions in partnership with trades union representatives in the line with the principles of ‘Delivering a fairer future’; provide training and guidance for those involved in determining pay; monitor pay statistics annually in addition to conducting council-wide Equal Pay Reviews in accordance with our equalities duties. The council has living wage accreditation. We have restructured and streamlined Pay Grades and levels to ensure consistency and fairness across all levels. We continue to implement our Delivering a Fairer Future policy with a focus on areas identified with specific occupational segregation anomalies.

Sickness absence days per teacher

The number of days lost due to sickness has increased compared to 2020-21, largely due to the level of absences returning to pre-lockdown levels following the relaxation/ removal of Covid-19 with people returning to their normal place of work. Actions We have provided additional HR support to assist managers to enable appropriate actions and supports to be in place in line with our Maximising Attendance Policy, including a dedicated Maximising Attendance team ( 3 x officers and 2 x assistants) and also producing reports to enable activity to be monitored.

Sickness absence days per employee (non-teacher)

The number of days lost due to sickness has increased compared to 2020-21, largely due to the level of absences returning to pre-lockdown levels following the relaxation/ removal of Covid-19 with people returning to their normal place of work. Actions We have provided additional HR support to assist and guide managers to enable appropriate actions and supports are in place in line with our Maximising Attendance Policy, including a dedicated Maximising Attendance team (3 x officers and 2 x assistants) and also producing reports to enable activity to be monitored.

Claimant count as a % of working age population

Employability is a key national policy objective and local authorities are currently working to deliver a range of employment support programmes. These schemes often include working in partnership with commercial and third sector providers.

As of March 2022, 3.8% of the working age population in South Lanarkshire are claimant unemployed, marginally above the Scottish average of 3.7% (the benchmark figure). The gap between the local and national claimant unemployment rates has narrowed over the past year indicating good progress against the benchmark. Analysis of the trend in claimants for the period up to March 2022 also indicates that the claimant counts locally have been falling consecutively for the past 13 months, and now stands at the lowest level recorded in South Lanarkshire for 2 years (since the first COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020). The position of South Lanarkshire relative to the other council areas has also been improving over the past 12 months, with the authority ranking 21st out of 32 councils for claimant rate in March 2022, compared to 22nd out of 32 in March 2021.

Council-operated employability programmes continue to contribute to the overall claimant count reduction moving unemployed people from welfare to work. This is in part reflected in current levels of employment in South Lanarkshire, where the percentage of the working age population in work (for the 12 months up to March 2022) is at 78.1%, the highest-level ever recorded, and well above the Scottish average (74.4%).

(SLC does not contribute to this result in isolation – it should be pointed out that there are many external factors affecting the data).

Claimant count as a % of 16-24 population

Employability is a key national policy objective and local authorities are currently working to deliver a range of employment support programmes. These schemes often include working in partnership with commercial and third sector providers.

16 to 24 year olds have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. Schemes like The Young Persons Guarantee and No One Left Behind are being administered locally to improve opportunities for young people to get into work.

As of March 2022, the percentage of the 16-24 population unemployed and claiming benefits stands at 3.7%, equal to the Scottish average (the benchmark).  The gap between the local and national claimant unemployment rates has narrowed over the past year, signifying appreciable progress against the benchmark. It is also worth noting that the current rate of 16-24 claimants in South Lanarkshire is the lowest recorded for over 4 years, and has dropped below the working age population (16-64) average of 3.8% for the first time.

The impact of Covid adversely impacted the younger client groups compared to the general age working population. This was largely due to young people leaving university and college with limited job opportunities due to economic lockdowns, business closures, and furlough.

Young people were disproportionately affected in 2020-21 with more young people working in the service sector, particularly hospitality bared the brunt of the pandemic. Council operated employability programmes contribute to the overall claimant count reduction moving unemployed people from welfare to work. Other Local Employability Partners (LEPs) and providers deliver employability services including the national Fair Start Scotland (FSS) programme which also moves clients into work. The on and off flows of claimant unemployment will vary month to month subject to changes in the labour market.

(SLC does not contribute to this result in isolation – it should be pointed out that there are many external factors affecting the data)