Agenda and minutes

Paul Briddock, Service Director - Operational Services, and Paul Hamblett, Business and Performance Manager, RBT, presented the submitted report on the progress and performance of RBT for the period March, 2008.

Key points for this period included:-

·              Recruitment for the Maltby Joint Service Centre commenced

·              ‘Tell Us Once’ work continued

·              Annual figures released for Welfare Rights and Money Advice

·              Payroll accuracy service level agreement achieved for third consecutive month

·              Human Resources support continued with Rotherham 2010 employees

·              Confirmation that all RMBC graphic design and print requirement to be commissioned via RBT Design and Print

·              Procurement card trial in Legal Services

·              Annual billing complete in Revenues and Benefits

·              Service level agreement underperformance in Revenues and Benefits

·              Council Tax collection improvement on 2006/07

In addition, reference was also made to:-

o             Customer Services/Public Access

o             HR and Payroll

o             ICT

o             Procurement

o             Revenues and Benefits

o             Progress against Corporate initiatives

            -           Equalities and Diversity

            -           Investors in People

            -           Consultation/Complaints

Discussion and a question and answer session ensued and the following issues were raised and clarified:-

-                      new housing repairs system

-                      uniform refresh for front facing services

-                      Welfare Rights and Money Advice Service performance

-                      recruitment for new Maltby Joint Service Centre

-                      call recording facilities

-                      Procurement service level agreement failures

-                      ICT refresh

-                      Procurement savings update

-                      Revenues and Benefits service level agreement failures

-                      Rotherham DistrictGeneral Hospital issues

-                      process for the issuing of a summons for non payment of Council Tax

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

Mark Gannon, Transformation and Strategic Partnerships Manager submitted the report detailing the complaints received and handled during Quarters 2 and 3 of 2007/08 across the Council and 2010 Rotherham Ltd.

235 and 227 complainants had made 365 and 261 complaints in Quarters 2 and 3 respectively.

During Quarter 2, 33% of the complaints were upheld at Stages 1 and 2 with 34% at Stage 1 and 27% at Stage 2 in Quarter 3.  These were high percentages that required further attention to ensure complaints were being dealt with robustly at Stage 1.  This had been highlighted to the Scrutiny Panel undertaking the review into complaints.

The majority of complaints in both quarters were around quality of service followed by actions of staff.  These issues were being picked up through the Corporate Complaints Officers Forum.

Once the Scrutiny Review of Corporate Complaints issued the findings of their review, further work would take place on developing the Corporate Complaints process which would also be a Year Ahead Commitment for 2008/09.

Actions taken or being taken to improve complaints management were set out in the report.

Discussion ensued and the following issues were covered :-

-                      need for further attention to dealing with complaints at Stage 1

-                      learning from complaints

-                      analysis of complaints received by Council ward

Resolved:-  That the report be noted.

(1) E Government Board

Cabinet Member and Advisor for Sustainability and Innovation

(2) Data Protection and Information Group

Councillor Hodgkiss

(3) Fair Trade Group

Councillor Wyatt (Chair); Councillor Jack

(4) Procurement Panel

Councillor Wyatt (Chair)

Councillor Smith, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Development Services

Councillor Whelbourn, Chair, Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee

Consideration was given to representation in respect of the above and the need to nominate representatives.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the Cabinet Member and Adviser for Sustainability and Innovation attend meetings of the Council’s E Government Board.

(2)         That Councillor Wyatt remain as Chair of the Fair Trade Group, and attend meetings, together with Councillor Hodgkiss.

(3)  That Councillor Wyatt (Chair), Councillor Smith, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Development Services and Councillor Whelbourn, Chair, Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee attend the meetings of the Procurement Panel.

(4) That Councillors Wyatt and Hodgkiss attend meetings of the  LGA Rural Commission. (Note: Councillors Wyatt and Hodgkiss to attend the Annual Conference in September, 2008).

(5) That Councillor Wyatt attend meetings of the Rotherham Environment Forum.

(6)  That Councillor Wyatt attend meetings of the Rotherham Information Governance Group.

There were no Member issues to report.

(The Chairman authorised consideration of the following item to prevent any unnecessary delay in processing the matter referred to)

The Chairman reported that he had attended a Local Government Association briefing last week relating to the above.

He was preparing a report on feedback from the briefing which would be distributed this week to all Members of the Council.

Concerns were expressed regarding further potential closures.

Resolved:- That the information be noted and the report also be forwarded to Cath Saltis (Head of Scrutiny Services), Mark Gannon (Transformation and Strategic Partnerships Manager) and Dawn Price (Consultation Officer) for consideration.