Agenda item

Simon Walters, Director for Communities and Environment:

a)    presented a report to Performance Scrutiny Committee with an overview of the ‘One Council’ programme of work and the early successes achieved;

b)    highlighted that ‘Creating Value Processes’ had delivered a number of projects since its inception, which included:

-       The design and launch of a new intranet accessible to all staff, with a strong focus on our corporate values. This had been the platform enabling the new ‘in-brief’ comm’s videos.

-       Created multiple e-forms for internal admin processes that were automated, removing annual processing where possible.

-       Launched a new online e-learning package for basic digital skills which was available to all staff.

-       Partnered with Microsoft to create a bespoke training programme for low code development (i.e., equipping our own staff with the skills to develop automated processes rather than ‘buy in’)

-       Moved to online first culture for meetings, including implementation of devices in committee rooms to enable people to ‘dial in’ to meetings, helping to contribute to reduced Co2 emissions and support home working.

-       Transferred the City Council to a new website offering increased functionality.

-       Evaluated the telephone calls into the contact centre to identify those services that caused the highest volume of calls and developing work streams to reduce that number.

-       Delivered accessibility guidance and training to make sure all the material we produced was easily understood and readable by a wide range of audiences. This resulted in our website becoming one of the most accessible local authority sites as evaluated by the Society for Innovation, Technology and Modernisation (within top 30 of websites in mid-2021).

-       Created a new website (microsite) for the visitor information service with its own look and feel.

-       Developed a suite of new user friendly and accessible housing correspondence, which had reduced the number of people calling the contact centre with queries.

-       Made tweaks to council tax bills to aid clarity for the customer and reduce queries into the contact centre.

-       Housing tenancy services – created a new tenant sign up process to make it smoother and easier for new tenants and staff.

-       Streamlined the customer journey between UC team, Tenancy Services and Welfare Advice so claimants were easily transferred between the various functions and ensured they had access to the funds they were entitled to.

c)    explained that current activity was focussed on:

-          Developing an innovative national ‘on line’ Housing repairs reporting tool, which would ultimately enable tenants to identify and book faults/appointments via our website.

-          Developing a range of ‘on line’ forms for Community services - ‘on line’ forms for Missed bins, New bins, Clinical waste, Bulky goods. All designed to enable residents to report issues 24/7 and take pressure off the contact centre.

-          Extensive work to replace key aging IT systems.

-          Continuing redesign of a whole range of corporate forms and automated processes ranging from annual leave to order requisitions.

-          Automated customer satisfaction - assessing a new way to capture customer satisfaction in an automated way and so avoiding additional pressure on staff in the contact centre.

-          Overhaul of the council’s processes and supporting software for recording and acting upon Risk Management.

-          Exploring other IT applications designed to reduce the pressure on the contact centre for example, Fix My Street.

-          Development of a range of options for benefits claimants to reduce the level of multiple changes to ongoing claims and hence provide greater clarity to them.

-          Overseeing the further development of the council’s intranet site, providing key information to staff.

d)    highlighted that future activity yet to be planned included:

-          Maximising the benefit of moving to a unified telephony system.

-          New individual websites (micro sites) for key service areas such as crematorium, car parks and building control.

The Committee was provided with an opportunity to ask questions, where the following points were noted:

·         It was queried why there was a need for a separate microsite for visitor information, as this could be seen as duplication as the Visit Lincoln website was already well established.  It was therefore suggested that the Visit Lincoln website was utilised. It was also commented that a lot of content on the website linked to the City of Lincoln Council’s website, rather than relying on its own content.  In response to this it was advised that the website was not aiming to compete with Visit Lincoln but to develop a transactional website to sell products;

·         The Committee was pleased to see a move to more online reporting forms and suggested further areas where this could be introduced.  It was also suggested that for delayed bin collections that a text messaging alert was sent to affected customers, as it would save the customer from having to report the missed collection via the online form.

·         It was advised that a key focus of moving to digital reporting was to reduce the level of contact with customer services.  However, whilst the head count within customer services had reduced, there had been a general increase in contacts across all platforms, including telephone calls. 

·         The Council had implemented hybrid working practises with a mixture of home and office based working, depending on the role.  As less office space was required as a result of these new hybrid working arrangements, the space at City Hall could be rationalised and this was currently being explored.

·         It was suggested that a member development session on the development of HRS online reporting was provided to all councillors.

·         It was requested that the Committee received an item on the wider One Council programme, encompassing all four themes.

·         It was confirmed that the branding for the proposed microsite for the crematorium would be different from that of the City Council.

·         A member of the Committee encouraged officers to implement a Change Control Board for the One Council programme to ensure that from an IT perspective, one aspect of the programme did not negatively impact on another. 

·         A councillor highlighted an issue with the electronic Vision 2025 survey, which had recently been launched.  It was confirmed this issue would be explored and corrected. It was highlighted that there had been a good response rate to date.

RESOLVED

(1)  That the progress made to date be noted.

(2)  That the Committee be presented with information on the wider One Council programme, including all four themes in three months.