Agenda item

Councillor Keith Williams (Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Operational Excellence), was in attendance and presented to the Committee a report summarising progress and performance in respect of his portfolio of responsibility.

The Committee noted that the key objectives and role of the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Operational Excellence is to:

·       Provide the political leadership for Operational Excellence.

·       Provide the strategic direction for the Council’s customer access strategy.

·       Provide the political leadership for resident engagement.

·       Ensure Council owned Assets are used effectively.

·       Promote Sustainability.

·       Ensure that the Council's agreed priorities within the portfolio are delivered.

The Committee noted that the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Operational Excellence has the following delegated responsibilities:

·       Corporate, Communications, Legal, and support services. 

·       Customer Services.

·       Member Development.

·       Modernisation agenda.

·       Digital Inclusion Strategy.

·       Human Resources policies.

·       Risk Management.

·       Operational Buildings and property.

·       Community Development and Engagement to include:

o   Libraries.

o   Parishes.

o   Leisure and Sports (including Health Hydro).

o   Register Office, Cemeteries and Crematorium.

o   Culture.

o   Lydiard.

Councillor Williams, assisted by the Director of Performance, Organisational Improvement and Communications and the Head of Customer Services, Registrars and Bereavements, responded to questions put by Councillors Steve Allsopp, Janine Howarth, Brian Mattock,Des Moffatt, Roger Smith, Bazil Solomon, Timothy Swinyard and the Chair on the following matters:

·       The trial currently taking place at Lydiard Park, which has been using an electric four wheeled vehicle for grounds maintenance, and the plans for erecting electric vehicle charging points in the car park during 2020, which will be available for public use.

·       The anticipated costs of the consultation agreed by Council in April 2019 on changes to the election cycle. 

·       Proposals for amending how changes to the electoral register are captured, and how efficient the new system is expected to be at ensuring that smaller changes are noted and recorded.

·       Changes to the Legal Team, including the appointment of a Chief Legal Officer, and how the levels of engagement and team dynamics have improved since the relocation of staff in to a shared office environment. The Committee noted that there is now more development of junior roles, as well as the increased use of locums in specialist areas.

·       How the problems recently experienced at the Highworth Town Council election had not been related to the changes in the Legal Team, and that a recount had taken place in the week prior at the Magistrates Court to rectify the issue. The Committee was advised that additional safeguards have been set in place going forward.

·       The proportion of temporary workers in the overall workforce, and the plans for reducing that number by 5% in the current financial year.

·       The professional development offer at the Council, and the current recruitment campaign for children’s social care as a result of the recent Ofsted result.

·       The numbers of residents within Swindon who are not on the Electoral Register. The Committee noted an example of a block of flats on Brunel Crescent where only 55% of the 157 units had a person registered.

·       The services provided by the Council’s Contact Centre to housing tenants, including the recent introduction of an online portal through which to report problems. The Committee was advised that a steady stream of maintenance issues was now being reported, as opposed to just at the traditional peak times throughout the year. There had been issues with a backlog, but work was being undertaken to address any inefficiencies in the system.

·       Proposed changes to services being delivered in satellite libraries by parish councils, and how the inability of the respective organisations to share data is creating a barrier. The Committee noted that the issue of data sharing with external providers for the purposes of contracted services is being explored.

·       The target of 80% of calls being answered within 2 minutes, which is the average industry standard, and how the move towards well mapped online services provides better data accuracy and reduces costs. The Committee noted that the abandonment rate currently sits at 14%, and that 50 – 60% of calls are actually answered within 1 minute.

·       The technical issues experienced when the Customer Contact Centre swapped to a different support system recently and how the new system is able to provide data on matters such as how many calls are received, how many calls are kept on hold and for how long. The Committee noted that the system does not cut callers off after a certain amount of time. 

·       The ability of the new system to provide a fast track service for disabled and elderly residents who are not using digital technologies, or for a call back function to be introduced. The Contact Centre is also looking at the efficiencies of online chats.  

·       The appointment of Absentia to assist the Council with its sickness absence processes. The Committee was advised of the Day One Absence Management Service that will be implemented from January 2020 to support managers to track illnesses. The service will also be personalised to the staff member and their illness. Absence numbers are expected to increase in the short term to reflect current unreported absences, and the lag on receiving absence information is expected to be shortened.

·       The rationale behind why some services provide direct dial contact numbers for officers, and others have calls routed through the Contact Centre. The Committee noted that improved service levels at the Contact Centre have created a more effective and efficient customer experience.

·       How assisting staff members with levels of debt can help remove stress, improve mental health, and reduce sickness absences as a result.

·       That the new health and safety systems introduced at the Council have shown a decrease in the reported instances of near misses. The Committee was advised that officers will be investigating this.

·       How the procurement process for the new Finance and HR system will begin again once the current legal process has been finalised.

·       The development of a banding system for children’s books by Minchinhampton Library, in consultation with the local primary school, to allow parents to identify easily what books they require, and the potential for a similar system to be introduced in Swindon.  

Resolved – (1) That Councillor Williams be thanked for attending the meeting to present his performance report and for his full and open responses to members’ questions and observations on the issues raised.

(2) That information requested by members during the course of the Committee’s consideration of this item be forwarded to them via the Committee Clerk.