Agenda and minutes

The meeting placed on record its appreciation of the services of Carol Mills, Strategic Director of Corporate Services, who was leaving the Council at the end of March 2007 to take up a Chief Officer post with another local authority.

To consider the minutes of the last meeting and update any matters arising

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous meeting, held on 12^th February, 2007.

Resolved:- That the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th February, 2007, be approved as a correct record.

To consider the attached report of the Council’s Access Officer

Consideration of this item was deferred until the next meeting.

To consider the attached report of the Strategic Director, Corporate Services

The Strategic Director of Corporate Services submitted a report concerning Best Value Performance Indicator BVPI8 which measures the performance of the payment of undisputed invoice within thirty days. The report stated that current performance was below target. The reasons for under-performance were described, as well as the action being taken to correct the position.

Resolved:- That the performance of Best Value Performance Indicator BVPI8, as now reported, be noted and the current course of rectifying action be approved.

To consider the attached report of the Strategic Director, Corporate Services

Further to Minute No. 67(3) of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Customer Services and Innovation held on 12^th February, 2007, the Strategic Director of Corporate Services submitted a report describing the proposal to implement Interactive Voice Response (IVR) software in the Rotherham Connect Contact Centres to deal with the high volume of calls received after the issue of the new Council tax bills. In addition, the IVR system would be extended to include Streetpride services. The report stated that the IVR system had been piloted successfully during 2006 and described the way in which the service would be operated in respect of callers to Streetpride.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the use of the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) software for the Streetpride service and across all Contact Centre services where it is deemed necessary, be approved.

(3) That the IVR service shall have the facility to place up to three options, one of these being to continue to hold.

(4) That the extended use of the IVR service shall be monitored and a progress report submitted to Elected Members after three months’ operation of the service.

To consider the attached report of the Chief Executive, RBT

The Chief Executive, RBT, submitted a report on the progress and performance of RBT for January, 2007, highlighting:-

-     Registration Online is live within the Registrars’ Section;

-     RBT cashiers take over half a million transactions by 31^st January, 2007;

-     the Payroll Team achieved 99.68% accuracy;

-     the payroll accuracy service level agreement target is achieved for the ninth consecutive month;

-     procurement savings ahead of schedule;

-     Revenues and Benefits achieve three annual targets ahead of schedule.

The report included the Service overview for:-

§                     Customer Services/Public Access

§                     HR and Payroll

§                     ICT

§                     Procurement

§                     Revenues and Benefits

§                     Progress against Corporate Initiatives (Consultation/Complaints)

Reference was made to the action to be taken to address the under-performance in respect of Service Level Indicators HR17 (percentage of enquiries resolved by front-line HR advisors by telephone), RB02/BV09 (Percentage of Council Tax collected for the year), RB14/BV78(b) (time taken to process changes in circumstances) and RB08 (Number of benefit fraud investigations carried out per 1000 caseload). This latter indicator (RB08) was shortly to be withdrawn by the Government. It was noted that Revenues and Benefits had already achieved the annual contractual targets in respect of Service Level Indicators RB07 (number of prosecutions and sanctions per 1000 caseload), RB19 (number of claimants visited per 1000 caseload) and RB20 (number of annual claim interventions).

Discussion took place on the resource implications of the Rotherham Connect Customer Service Centres.

There were continuing discussions with Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council about the intended shared service provision for procurement.

Resolved:- (1) That the contents of the report be noted.

(2) That the Chief Executive, RBT prepare an article about the procurement service for publication in the Local Government Chronicle.

To consider the minutes of the meeting of the Communications and Marketing Group held on 11^th January, 2007

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting of the Communications and Marketing Group held on 11^th January, 2007.

Resolved:- That the contents of the minutes be noted.

To consider the minutes of the meeting of the Procurement Panel held on 12^th February, 2007

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting of the Procurement Panel held on 12^th February, 2007.

Resolved:- That the contents of the minutes be noted.

To consider any questions received from Elected Members

There were no issues to report.

The following items are likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under those paragraphs, indicated below, of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended

Resolved:- That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and 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 those paragraphs, indicated below, of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.

To consider the attached report of the Strategic Director, Corporate Services

(Exempt under Paragraph 1 of the Act – information relating to an individual)

Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Director of Corporate Services concerning a proposal for an employee, who was retiring early on the grounds of redundancy, to return to the Council on a part-time basis, to cover the duties of the Procurement Client Officer who is on maternity leave.

Resolved:- That approval be granted for Mr. D.F., the former RBT Client Manager, to perform the duties of the Procurement Client Officer, for two days per week, during the period 1^st April to 31^st December, 2007.

(Exempt under Paragraph 1 of the Act – information relating to an individual)

To consider the report of the Strategic Director of Corporate Services

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act – information relating to financial affairs)

Further to Minute No. 68 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Customer Services and Innovation held on 12^th February, 2007, consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Director of Corporate Services describing the potential impact of the Varney Review, the e-services national take-up programme and the Transformational Government agenda on the Council’s own programme of developing the Customer Service Centres.

Discussion took place on the progress of the development of the new Customer Service Centres and the effects upon certain of the Council’s existing service provision. The need to make changes to the Customer Service Centres programme was acknowledged.

Resolved:- (1) That a revision to the Council’s Customer Services strategy be undertaken, in order to address the outcomes of the Our Future Group 5, the requirements of the Varney Review, the national take-up of e-services and Transformational Government programme.

(2) That the current continuation of the existing service provision and staffing arrangements at Wath Town Hall, with regard to Adult Social Services, be noted.

(3) That the development of a channel migration strategy and a Customer Relations Management strategy as a part of the Customer Access Strategy be approved.

(4) That the electronic service delivery toolkit be approved as the mechanism to inform transactions and aid future migration monitoring and efficiencies.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act – information relating to financial affairs)