Agenda item

Presentation on the Transforming Shepway project proposal to change the way we operate – supporting members to deliver our corporate priorities, focusing on getting it right first time for our customers and investing in a workforce enabled by improved customer processes, training and technology.

Sarah Robson, Head of Transformation presented members with a progress report for Transforming Shepway, informing the committee that Cabinet agreed to the procurement of a blueprint in June, to look at a future operating model for the Council. A list of the Council’s design principles which will support the model is attached in the presentation papers.

In September the consultancy firm Ignite was appointed, working with officers to date to engage Council staff through a series of workshops to develop an understanding of the model, undertake an activity analysis of existing roles and strategic operational work and support the future design of work areas and processes.

The model that the Council wishes to adopt is set out in the attached papers. If the blueprint is approved, a detailed design and process exercise will then need to be undertaken. At this stage, the model will apply to all council staff, with the exception of delivery services such as grounds maintenance operatives and Hythe Pool staff. A brief overview of the model operational functions is detailed below:

·         Customers/Customer Self-Service – to encourage customers to use the self-service facilities that will be available to them 24/7.

·         Customer Enabling – universal customer contact, showing customers how to do things and starting their customer journey.

·         Customer Service advisor – 80% of enquiries get dealt with by self- service but it is those that do not use the self-service  that the council needs to help and this is a good starting point.

·         Case Management and Service processing – if an enquiry cannot be resolved in the customer service area above then it will come here.

·         Specialist – those with specialist skills will be used to make the final judgement using the knowledge they have.

·         Mobility officers – these will be key to the roles laid down as they will be out in the district, meeting customers and working with ward members, being more proactive and providing necessary support to officers not out in the field.

·         Strategy and Commissioning – this will be website interface, strategies and policies.

Transforming Shepway puts the customer at the heart of Council, therefore working with Ignite, officers will explore customer journeys, business processes and our ICT/digital capabilities to ensure we can deliver public services and provide the best customer service.

The Head of Transformation informed the Committee that model has successfully been delivered in other local authorities, including Eastleigh, Eastbourne and South Hams/West Devon to name a few. CMT and Members have undertook a site visit to South Hams/West Devon in late November and it was evident that transformation is the positive step forward for the Council in responding to our customer needs.

Members paid particular attention to the following:

·         Data Protection – the Council will continue to provide the necessary data protection for its customers.

·         Multi-skilled officers – the Council will have a robust system in place, some officers will have the knowledge and skills that can be shared with others.

·         Customers – some vulnerable customers may be more difficult to support than others but officers will have the necessary training and knowledge to look at what is needed, understanding the customer. There will be a greater emphasis on customer self-serve, which will enable officers to concentrate their support on those customers that have higher support needs or more complex enquiries.

·         Costs – the blueprint will be taken to cabinet in the new year and this will provide the necessary cost implications involved to make it work, including the ICT and training needs.

·         Planning – members felt that planning is a specialist skill and should remain individual but they were informed that some skills would be transferable to others.

·         Advertising jobs – HR is leading on a work stream to ascertain next steps in terms of project phasing, consultation, recruitment and staff support and training. An update will be brought to members once the details are finalised.