Issue - meetings

Q2 21/22 Performance Overview

 

 

Meeting: 14/12/2021 - Cabinet (Item 31)

31 Q2 Performance Report 21/22 pdf icon PDF 113 KB

To provide an update on how the Council is performing for the period 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021 (report of the Portfolio Holder – Corporate and Communications, and the Assistant Director – Corporate enclosed).

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Corporate, and the Portfolio Holder Corporate and Communications which provided an update on how the Council was performing for the period 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021.

 

The Portfolio Holder provided response to issues raised at Cabinet on 26 October 2021, when the Q1 Performance Report had been considered:

 

·         How many calls answered by Customer Services were dealt with at first point of contact? - Cabinet was advised that this could not currently be measured however, upon implementation of a new system, it was hoped that this would be possible in the future.

 

·         Issues around the separate recording of sickness and Covid-related sickness - The Q2 report had been produced before the information requested could be added however, Covid-related sickness was currently at 5% which was below the current average.

 

DECISION:

 

That the contents of the report be noted.

 

(Other options considered:

·         Do nothing.

Reasons for decision:

·         To ensure that the Council’s performance is properly scrutinised).

Meeting: 09/11/2021 - Performance Monitoring Panel (Item 23)

23 Q2 Performance Report 21/22 pdf icon PDF 114 KB

To provide an update on how the Council is performing for the period 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021 (report of the Assistant Director - Corporate and Portfolio Holder Corporate and Communications enclosed).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Corporate and Portfolio Holder Corporate and Communications, which provided an update up how the Council was performing for the period 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021.

 

The officer stated that: no major changes had been seen from Q1 to Q2; complaint response times had improved; staff hours dealing with fly-tipping had reduced; call response performance had reduced.

 

The Head of Customer Contact PSPS delivered a presentation to the Panel which outlined the challenges that had been experienced, mitigations that had been put in place, and the future plans for the Contact Centre. This included:

  • Causes of performance pressures:
  • the Covid-19 response;
  • customer contact behaviour had changed: call times, email levels and administration had increased due to front facing office closures and an unprecedented demand had persisted;
  • increased calls compared to pre-pandemic levels had been seen for Housing by 109%; Housing repairs by 26%; and Waste and Recycling by 35%; 
  • ongoing Covid support which related to Grants, and Test and Trace;
  • increased staff turnover;
  • office closures, staff absences and Covid isolations.

 

  • Mitigations in place included:
    • recruitment activity and training programmes had taken place;
    • remedial processes had been implemented;
    • a triage call-back system had commenced;
    • transformation processes had been underway;
    • office based delivery had returned which had focussed on resolving customer queries upon the first point of contact.

 

  • Future plans included:
    • the telephony and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to be replaced which would  improve communications according to customer demand and contact behaviour changes;
    • a service alignment focus was needed to provide greater resilience and consistency of customer service; 
    • digital opportunities to be explored;
    • the availability of the service for those who could not engage digitally needed to be maintained. Front facing customer service had been an expensive channel however a consistent service needed to be provided for all residents: digitally and in person/telephone.

 

The Head of Customer Contact (PSPS) concluded that high performance and service delivery levels had been achieved over the previous five years and the current pressures had not been consistent with their usual high standards. Statutory services had been maintained from the start of the pandemic which some other authorities had not achieved. Customer Satisfaction and Quality had maintained well above 90% target. Although the forecast for Q3 and Q4 had shown a risk, which had been based on performance at the end of Q2, aggressive measures had been put in place to overcome the pressures that had been experienced.

 

The Panel considered the update and made the following comments:

  • Members asked whether call handing times comparisons had been made between those answered at SHDC contact centre and those answered at the Manby contact centre.
    • The Head of Customer Contact PSPS confirmed that call duration times had been monitored and had been comparable.

 

  • Members noted that call handling times of 120 seconds had not been met and asked whether this had been realistic. If calls had become more complex, should the target be revised?