Meeting documents

Venue: Mezzanine Room 2, County Hall, Aylesbury. View directions

Contact: Clare Gray/Karen Jones 

Media

Webcast: View the webcast

Items
Note No. Item

10am

1.

Apologies for Absence/Changes in Membership

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Mr T Egleton and Mr D Watson.

2.

Declarations of Interest

To disclose any Personal or Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 202 KB

To agree the Minutes of the Meeting held on 1 April 2014.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 1 April 2014 were agreed.

4.

Public Questions

Public Questions is an opportunity for people who live, work or study in the county to put a question to a Scrutiny Committee about any issue that has an impact on their local community or the county as a whole.

 

Members of public, who have given prior notice, will be invited to put their question in person.

 

The Cabinet Member and responsible officers will then be invited to respond. 

 

Further information and details on how to register can be found through the following link:-

 

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/about-your-council/scrutiny/get-involved/

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no public questions.

10.05am

5.

Chairman's Report

For the Chairman of the Committee to provide an update to the Committee on recent scrutiny related activity.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report was noted.

10.10am

6.

Papers for Information pdf icon PDF 120 KB

·         Cabinet response to the Member-led Governance and Accountability recommendations.

 

·         Further information following the Customer Contact presentation at the last meeting.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet response to the Member-led Governance and Accountability report was tabled. All the recommendations had been accepted except for Recommendation 7 and 10 which had been agreed in part. The Chairman reported that the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing had commented that Health and Wellbeing must be compliant with legislation.  She referred to the reference to sub-contracting and explained that Bucks Care avoided a conflict of interest because the Cabinet Member sat on the Shareholders Commissioning Group. The Chairman acknowledged that sub-contractors were a matter of concern and added that this would be monitored.

 

Further information had been provided following the Customer Contact presentation at the last meeting which included current first call resolution rates, agent utilisation in the Contact Centre and total staffing levels. Members noted that the level of contact was extensive and was a complex area. The wrap-up time and ready time figures (writing up the notes of the call and waiting for the next call) were good. A Member commented that he would like to see better numbers for business improvement but this was not integrated yet. The single point of contact system which would be used in the future would also be a good improvement.

10.20am

7.

Corporate Communications Update pdf icon PDF 362 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Sophie Payne, Head of Communications provided an update on work to enhance the Council’s reputation through timely, pro-active and customer-focused communications. In terms of media work there was proactive and reactive work. The reactive work was important in terms of obtaining accurate reporting of council business. The Team also conducted public affairs work to generate opportunities to get Buckinghamshire’s voice heard on national levels and to promote where the Council is leading in the field, for example there had been 23 award short listings in the last 12 months.

 

The Team run the corporate social media accounts, and provide wider support to other parts of the organisation which are active on Twitter and Facebook, such as the Family Information Service and libraries, sharing best practice and plans.

 

The Team also provide marketing support which could be a simple flyer on a single issue or complex campaign such as recruiting foster parents. Events work includes examples such as the almighty abseil. The Team manage the council website and internal communications is becoming increasingly important with the Future Shape Programme and this is communicated through Chief Officer Management Team messages, monthly managers brief, posters on the back of toilet doors and digi screens which are positioned across Council buildings.

 

The Team measure success through corporate health indicators as follows:-

 

·         Residents overall satisfaction with the Council – doing well and on a par with national trends

·         How well residents feel that we are promoting their interest – 60% which is on a par with national trends

·         How well informed residents feel – the Team need to do further work on this area which is currently below national trends. However figures have moved up 10% so there is positive progress.

·         Perceptions and Value for money is at 51% which is on par with national trends.

 

The Team have saved over £765,000 over the three years since the communications budgets were centralised by improving the targeting and co-ordination of communications, reducing duplication of effort and introducing effective digital channels. They have a non-salaries budget of £91,000 which amounts to 18p per residents for communicating the full range of Council services. They rely on free and low cost media.

 

The types of activities that are undertaken by the Team are as follows:-

 

·         Mybucks e-newletter was introduced in February 2013 – this has a growing subscriber database. There are now 10,500 subscribers which is an increase of 83% since the launch but this is still a small % of the local population and there needs to be a further push on this using  people who have subscribed to other areas. The e-newsletter costs 1p per head compared to 14p per head for a hard copy. The open rates, which are the number of people who click onto the newsletter, are very high at 46% compared to an average of 26% for Government newsletters. In terms of opening articles the rate was 21% compared to 3.5% with Government newsletters which showed that the right information was being  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

11.00am

8.

Future Shape Update pdf icon PDF 70 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Peter Hardy – Cabinet Member, Finance & Resources and Nick Cave – Head of Transformation attended for this item to give an update on Future Shape. During the presentation the following points were noted:-

 

·         The business case had been agreed at Cabinet on 24 March to take forward the commercially minded council so that it would be financially sustainable for the future.

·         Members would set the priorities and have a stronger outcomes-based commissioning framework and performance management.

·         There would be a new model for residents making it easier to ‘self-serve’ as they would have access to services that they need. Digital channels would be improved.

·         Services will be delivered with key partners and through a wider mix of cost effective, fit for purpose delivery models and providers.

·         There would be a leaner, flexible and commercially skilled workforce who are equipped to deliver across different structures.

·         The Council would continue making the best of their assets.

·         There had recently been an all Member workshop on digital channels.

 

A Member was worried that in Future Shape they would meet once a year to set priorities?

The Cabinet Member referred to the recent Select Committee work in progress report on governance which addressed this very point. In the business case Members were at the forefront of the new organisation and Member governance would be improved. The Head of Transformation reported that the business case would enhance the Member role and they are key to setting priorities and outcomes and actively working through the model on the delivery of those.

 

How are you liaising with the Communication Team?

There is regular liaison and they are part of the Programme Team. They are actively working on communications and the recent Peer Review feedback shows how well they have managed to embed the message e.g. through face to face communications or the intranet. The Cabinet Member reported that the Future Shape Programme has enabled them to have a more holistic approach and opportunity to make improvements. They have recently been looking at branding for delivery units and how each contract will set out the framework in how this will work.

 

What informal opportunities are there to influence Future Shape?

There are informal arrangements with Member workshops with a slide and discussion debate and allowing Members to get to grips with ideas. There has also been Member involvement in the different work strands and Strategic Directors and Cabinet Members have regular discussions. He recognised the importance of formal and informal interaction and the space to understand how roles will develop and change. The Cabinet Member welcomed Members to discuss any views with him. All Members have had an opportunity to be part of this new structure.

 

The Head of Transformation and Cabinet Member were thanked for their informative presentation. They would update the Committee again on 8 July 2014.

11.15 am

9.

Committee Work Programme pdf icon PDF 29 KB

To consider and agree the Finance, Performance and Resources Select Committee Work Programme 2013/14.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee Work Programme was noted.

11.30am

10.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

3 June 2014

Additional documents:

Minutes:

3 June 2014 at 10am.