Agenda and minutes

Consideration was given as to who should preside over the Joint meeting of the Performance Monitoring Panel and Policy Development Panel. 

AGREED:

That Councillor B Alcock act as Chairman for the duration of the joint meeting of the Performance Monitoring Panel and Policy Development Panel.  

Where a Councillor has a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest the Councillor must declare the interest to the meeting and leave the room without participating in any discussion or making a statement on the item, except where a councillor is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of dispensation.

There were none.

To consider resolving that, under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

AGREED:

That, under section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To provide the Joint Panel with an update on the progress to date of ‘Moving Forward’, the Council’s transformation programme (report of the Executive Director Strategy and Governance enclosed)

Consideration was given to the report of the Executive Director, Strategy and Governance, which provided the Joint Panel with an update on progress to date of ‘Moving Forward’, the Council’s transformation programme.

The Corporate Improvement and Performance Manager provided information on the various projects, and how they were progressing as part of the programme.

AGREED:

a)    That the information provided within the report be noted;

b)    That with regard to ICT Options, thorough forward planning be undertaken to ensure that there was sufficient provision for new partners coming on board later in the process;

c)    That it was vital that the process kept on track;

d)    That consideration be given to the promotion at Springfields Outlet Centre of Ayscoughfee Hall Museum and Gardens and the South Holland Centre in Spalding; and

e)    That when leisure service provision was considered, the Joint Scrutiny Panel be given an opportunity as soon as possible to consider proposals and provide input.

To outline the model of benefits realisation that the ‘Moving Forward’ Transformation programme is using to measure its success (report of the Executive Director Strategy and Governance enclosed)

Consideration was given to the report of the Executive Director, Strategy and Governance, which outlined the model of benefits realisation that the ‘Moving Forward’ Transformation Programme was using to measure its success.

The report stated that in order for Moving Forward to be successful, it should be ensured that all benefits to the Authority were identified and captured effectively.  This would be done through the development of Benefits Cards for every project that was part of the programme.  This would enable the Programme Officer to monitor and track when anticipated benefits were realised/delivered.  To enable this to happen, the following had to be undertaken:

·         Identify both cash and non-cashable benefits at the point of project inception;

·         Validate and continuously review expected benefits throughout the project;

·         Enable benefits to be realised by investing in new ways of working

The model showed that while ‘Moving Forward’ was looking to deliver savings through cost avoidance, this was not the only type of benefit the programme would deliver.  To ensure that the programme was successful, it would need to deliver customer satisfaction , and make quality improvements to services.

Members considered and discussed the information detailed within the report.

AGREED:

a)    That the information provided within the report be noted;

b)    That the issues raised by the Panel be taken into account;

c)    That Joint Panel members be provided with information on what could be measured in relation to customer satisfaction; and

d)    That a measure of savings realised be presented to members for scrutiny at relevant intervals.

To expand the ability to make payments for Council services across the district, by use of Pay Zones, Post Offices and digital solutions.  This will align with the Corporate Priorities ‘to provide the right services, at the right time and in the right way’.  It will enable residents and businesses greater flexibility in the way they pay (report of the Executive Manager for People and Public Protection enclosed)

Consideration was given to the report of the Executive Manager for People and Public Protection which detailed Digital Payment Phase 2 (District Provision), part of the Authority’s Transformation programme.

The proposals within the report detailed how the Authority would expand the ability to make payments for Council services across the district, by use of Pay Point, Post Office and digital solutions.  This proposal would enable residents and businesses greater flexibility in the way that they payed, and aligned with the Corporate Priority of providing the right service at the right time and in the right way.

Members commented that there were some areas of the District that were not covered by these additional payment solutions however it was acknowledged that the locations secured to date still provided thirty more locations for payment than were currently available.  Ward members were encouraged to identify payment locations within their wards to broaden the offer available to the public.

The Executive Manager People and Public Protection advised that the second recommendation of the recommendations to be made to Cabinet was to be changed to read as follows:

·         That the Priory Road cash desk remain open to facilitate the Transformation programme, until the Authority was required to accommodate its third party partners or organisations, or by Autumn 2017

Information provided within the report was considered and the following issues were raised:

·         Members commented that there were some areas of the District that were not covered by these additional payment solutions however it was acknowledged that the locations secured to date still provided thirty more locations for payment than were currently available.  Officers/members should be proactive in finding sites to ensure that there was a more even spread of service across the district. 

·         Communication was vital to ensure that customers were aware of the new options for payment that would be available to them.

AGREED:

a)    That the information provided within the report be noted; and

b)    That the Cabinet be advised of the following issues raised by the Joint Panel:

              i.        That some areas of the District were not covered by the additional payment solutions, and that officers/members should be proactive in finding sites to ensure that there was a more even spread of service across the district; and

             ii.        That communication to customers was vital to ensure they were aware of the new options for payment that would be available to them.