Agenda item

To receive an update on the Transformation Programme including Digital Principles.

For the purposes of transparency, Cllr Jack Davies declared an interest in this item as a member of Lymington and Pennington Town Council.

The Panel received a presentation update on progress with the transformation programme. The slides from the presentation form part of the agenda pack.

The update summarised the position with regard to the following aspects:

a)  Customer & Digital

b)  People & Capabilities

c)  Assets & Accommodation

d)  Finance & Delivery

A member asked whether the MACE Assets Review Report could be given to Panel members for scrutiny purposes. Officers advised that no decisions had yet been made arising from the MACE report, it was a 90 page officer - facing report not intended for publication, and it would inform future decisions which would be brought forward in a transparent way, in line with the Council’s democratic processes. In response to a further question, officers would consider whether it was practicable to make it available on the Members’ Portal. 

It was suggested that future reports provide information on the net benefit of the actions covered, for example whether they had led to higher levels of staff retention and any cost benefits, service improvements, fewer complaints, savings, or higher levels of engagement and feedback from residents, so that the data could more clearly show the impact the Transformation Programme was having on the Council and its residents.

In response, officers explained that some data on staff retention was already available in reports to HR Committee, which could be shared with this Panel, and the Transformation Strategy contained performance measures, which would be brought back to the Panel.

In answer to a query on whether members could be given process mapping data, including information on savings, officers advised that they were using a suite of financial and non-financial measures to inform progress and were very happy to provide these sorts of details and it was agreed that some examples be made available to members at the next meeting.  Officers cited an example where the Council’s Housing Voids process was being analysed and broken down in detail, and a number of the Council’s processes were being looked at using that approach.

A member sought assurances that the Panel would be given reports and background information which informed the decisions on the options being considered, prior to various decisions being made.  Officers responded that as part of the governance structure to support the agreed Transformation Strategy, reports would be brought to the Panel and elsewhere as decisions in the programme were brought for agreement.

In response to a query on a reference in Principle 2 – Data Driven, it was explained that ’Golden records’ of customers and assets providing a ‘single source of truth’ referred to ensuring customer and other data being joined up and held in a centralised location to provide better informed decision making and an optimised customer experience.  Officers undertook to refine the description to make it clearer.

In answer to a question, it was explained that customer data was protected under the Transformation Strategy and there was assurance under the Council’s Information Governance impact assessments.

A member suggested that Principles 1-3 (which focussed on digital service delivery) to should provide assurance on inclusion, emphasising the need to acknowledge those members of the public who may not have the skills to be able to use online services.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted and the 7 Digital Principles set out in the presentation be supported.