Performance management

Managing performance is a core function that helps us to understand where we are doing well and provides us with the insights needed to prioritise areas of work and effectively allocate resources.

Our Best City Ambition sets out the vision for Leeds and is supported by a number of key strategies and plans including Health and Wellbeing, Zero Carbon, and Inclusive Growth. Each of these are underpinned by a set of key performance indicators that are reported throughout the year as part of the relevant Executive Board, Scrutiny Board or partnership board.

The Annual performance Report provides analysis on the progress we are making towards our strategic objectives across each directorate, and highlights achievements made during the year. From 2024 to 25, this will also capture performance against the Best City Ambition using a set of cross-cutting indicators. More regular operational performance reporting takes place on an ongoing quarterly basis, with oversight from elected members and senior officers.

Additional information and data about communities and areas in Leeds can be found on the Leeds Observatory and the Leeds Social Progress Index.

Best City Ambition scorecard

We have developed a balanced scorecard of leading indicators which will enable us to effectively report headline progress on the Best City Ambition in a clear and understandable way. The Ambition is broad, so this scorecard initially focuses on issues most related to tackling poverty and inequality in Leeds communities.

The scorecard draws from other existing frameworks - including the Leeds Social Progress Index - and shares indicators with the ongoing Marmot City work. The scorecard will be incorporated into the council's annual performance report going forward.

The Best City Ambition indicators include:

  • life expectancy at birth
  • babies with low birth weight
  • percent of children with a healthy weight at reception age
  • percent of pupils achieving a good level of development at the end of reception
  • percent of pupils meeting expected standards in reading, writing and maths by the end of Key Stage 2
  • average attainment 8 score
  • percent of school children who reported feeling happy every or most days
  • percent of 16 to 17 year-olds who are not in employment, education or training
  • prevalence of common mental health issues
  • prevalence of severe mental illness
  • percent of people earning less than the UK Real Living wage
  • number of households in temporary accommodation
  • percent of physically inactive adults aged 50+
  • households in fuel poverty