Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to a report which sought to inform Members of the new, transformational programme, Together 24 (T24), a collaborative programme designed to ensure all Council services were able to move to the next level in service delivery.

With technology moving fast  and customers’ expectations changing; their experience through whichever channel they choose to access Council services should have the right look and feel, and be consistent.  Furthermore it should enable learning for the Council to ensure it improves its service delivery.

This new programme had arisen following the recommendations of the Peer Review in early 2020.  T24 had developed a clear Vision and a condensed number of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound) Objectives, detailed at Section 2.5 of the report

The Project would have its own Programme Board within the governance structure of the Council. The Programme would be implemented through a five step approach detailed in Section 4.4. of the report.  Service reviews had been divided into 7 tranches.  Those services included in tranche 1 were detailed at 4.5 of the report.

The programme aimed to have delivered the recommendations from technology-led service reviews in all front and back office service areas by December 2024.  The resources and risks associated with the Project were also outlined to Members.

In response to some Members’ comments that the report lacked detailed, assurance was offered that each objective had a detailed Action Plan behind it with specific targets.  Ultimately, the project aimed to streamline all services, ensuring the best use of technology was made, provide instant feedback to customers and inform future service delivery.  A number of examples as to how this change in approach could be deployed in the fly-tipping services, improving response times and providing instant feedback to customers, were cited.

It was suggested by Members that the Programme could bring with it some climate related benefits and this should have been expressed within the relevant section of the report template.

Having been moved and seconded, on being put to the vote it was unanimously: -

RESOLVED that:

(a)     the achievements of the Customer First Programme be acknowledged;

(b)     The Objectives of the Together 24 Programme, as set out below, be approved;

·         All Council services have been redesigned with approved recommendations implemented by December 2024

·         Customer requirements are identified and factored into service redesigns with focus on digital enablement by December 2024

·         Maintain and or improve levels of customer and officer satisfaction by December 2024

·         Ensure that officers have the right level of skills and behaviours and have the right tools to do their job by December 2024

·         Efficiencies totalling a minimum of £300k are realised by December 2024

(c)     progress related to the Together 24 (T24) programme be reported annually through the Members’ Newsletter, with oversight of the Project being reported quarterly to the Chairs Briefing Meeting, as part of the wider project update report regularly received