Agenda item

-           Strategic Director of Environment and Development Services to report.

Further to Minute No. 133 of 16^th January, 2013, Councillor Rushforth, Cabinet Member for Culture and Tourism, introduced a report by the Strategic Director of Environment and Development Services, which set out the findings from the public consultation.  A revised service offer was proposed that would ensure efficient and cost effective services could continue to be delivered in person in areas of need across the Borough.

The consultation showed that:-

-          51% of people who completed the consultation were happy being able to access Customer Services and Library services from the same building.  Satisfaction with the proposed change was significantly higher from people within Mowbray Gardens Library and Wath Library communities, than from within Swinton and Dinnington communities

-          37% of people who completed the consultation were happy to pay using a cash payment machine.  People had requested face to face support when making payments and they were keen to retain the social aspect of being able to talk to a person

-          44% of people who completed the consultation at Dinnington and Swinton were happy to have merged staffing.  Many people who completed the consultation felt that ‘library’ staff would not have time to manage both services effectively

-          77% of people who completed the consultation were unhappy that Dinnington and Swinton would only be able to access customer service for 2 days a week.  People who had completed the consultation had suggested their preferred days for the service to be delivered, which did not reflect the original proposal.  These views had been reflected in the proposed new service model

The consultation had provided diverse customer views.  Many were happy to be able to access additional services locally and saw the proposed changes as good economic sense and good utilisation of resources.  It was clear that, particularly those over 65 years old, there was concern with regard to using technology to access services and that any move towards delivering services using new technology would need to be supported by staff members who the community knew and trusted.

To enable the delivery of increased levels of access in communities outside of the Customer Service Centres within current budget constraints, it was proposed that the ‘in person’ Customer Service delivery model be amended.  It was proposed that customer be able to access specialist Council Services such as benefits or Council Tax advice from Swinton and Dinnington sites ‘in person’ for 2 days per week.  Access to Council Tax or benefits advice outside those times could be obtained from public access free phones or by using the public access computers which were available in the Library.  This would allow services to be offered from Wath and Mowbray Gardens for 1 day per week.

Access to services such as Housing, Blue Badge applications and fault reporting would be available as a drop-in service for 6 days a week during Library and Customer Service Centre opening hours.

Changes to the in-person customer contact service delivery model would realise savings of approximately £160,000 in 2013/14, £80,000 through the merging of staffing structures at Swinton, Dinnington, Rawmarsh and Aston Customer Service Centres and Libraries and approximately £80,000 by implementing cash payment machines in Customer Service Centres.  The changes would also allow the Council to deliver additional services at Wath and Mowbray Gardens at no additional costs.  Refurbishment of Swinton and Dinnington Libraries would be managed within existing budgets.

Cabinet Members suggested that appropriate signage be placed on display to ensure members of the public were fully aware of the changes.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the results of the public consultation be noted.

(2)  That the proposed changes to the Customer Contact Service delivery model, to be implemented across the Borough, be approved.

(3)  That the opening hours and services delivered from Library and Customer Service Centres be reviewed after three months to ensure that they continued to meet customer needs.