§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (Mr. Christopher Leslie)My hon. Friend Lord Filkin has today set the following key performance indicators and targets for the Public Guardianship Office for 2003–4:
KPI 1: To increase the satisfaction of its customers in the delivery of its services.
Target:
To achieve a customer satisfaction rating of at least 50 per cent for both professional and lay receivers, as measured by its annual customer survey.
KPI 2: To increase the proportion of effective visits by the Lord Chancellor's Visitors.
Targets:
To maintain a minimum of 6,000 visits per year to include all Receivership Division clients.
To visit all new receivership clients where the Chief Executive of the PGO has been appointed receiver of last resort.
To achieve 75 per cent. effective visits over the year.
KPI 3: To increase the percentage of accounts collected on time and reviewed on time, and will use this process to review the case management regime to ensure that it is meeting the needs or each customer and client.
Targets:
To collect 60 per cent. of accounts within two calendar months of the accounting end date, 80 per cent. within four calendar months of the accounting end date, and 100 per cent. within six calendar months of the accounting end date, referring cases to the Court of Protection where necessary or taking other steps to ensure proper accounts are produced on behalf of clients (applies to Protection clients only: i.e. those clients who have an external receiver).
3WSTo complete the review of 100 per cent. of accounts received or to have requested further information within four weeks (20 working days) of receipt (to apply to both Receivership and Protection clients).
KPI 4: To deliver an improved service to clients:
Targets.
To respond to 95 per cent. of letters, faxes and e-mails within 15 working days of receipt.
For 95 per cent. of requests for release of funds, the PGO will give directions to the Court Funds Office (CFO) or dispatch direction to an external receiver within 10 working days of receipt.
To dispatch court orders and directions to applicants, receivers or their representatives in 95 per cent. of cases within 25 working days of their being made.
For 95 per cent. of complete applications for final directions, the PGO will give directions within 25 working days, to transfer all of clients' assets to personal representatives.
To register and return 95 per cent. of correctly lodged EPAs, where there are no objections within five working days of the end of the statutory waiting period.
KPI 5: To demonstrate improvements in efficiency by meeting three financial performance targets.
Targets:
To remain within budget.
To achieve a fee income of £13.1 million.
To achieve a unit cost per case of not more than £535.