Case Study: Harrogate BC achieves proactive performance management with Ideagen's Covalent

Large, urban council provides model for ‘the ideal’ Covalent implementation

Harrogate Borough Council, a large urban authority undergoing a major restructure, struggled with fragmented and inconsistent performance information. Corporate processes existed but there was no unified framework for monitoring or comparing data, action and risk planning were done in departmental silos, and the council needed an audited, reliable way to report performance.

The council piloted Covalent in Development Services (April 2005), consolidated and validated historic and current data, standardized procedures and roles, and trained staff before rolling the system out across the organisation to over 60 users. The result was a shift from reactive administration to proactive corporate performance management: managers now rely on Covalent reports (published on the council website), accountability and data quality have improved, and the council is even considering sharing reports directly with the Audit Commission.

Harrogate BC

Kevin Douglas

Executive Director, Department of Corporate Policy and Improvement