Agenda item

Report CEO 1062

The Sub-Committee received a report updating Members on the progress made on the first phase projects within the Organisational Improvement Programme.

With regard to the workstream around Civic Centre Accommodation, the Assistant Director: Organisational Improvement confirmed that work was ongoing to set out a high level options appraisal for Civic Centre office accommodation to Members, and that an externally commissioned report was nearing completion of its final draft.  A Member asked whether converting existing office space to open plan had been explored.  The Head of Improvement, Efficiency and Effectiveness confirmed that this was being considered as part of the options appraisal but that there were significant cost implications.  A work style analysis that had gone forward with a Public Protection and Safety team had identified a range of different ways of working that could reduce use of office space whilst accommodating the work of the team flexibly.

The Customer Access programme was progressing.  A project to add capacity for approximately 16 additional customer service agents by utilising office space in the Rochester Building had been commissioned, and the additional capacity would be available by early September 2010.  It was expected that some of this additional capacity would accommodate temporary customer services agents to deal with a predicted increase in Environmental Services calls and expansion of Bromley Social Services Direct.

Following completion and testing of the integration between the CRM and Uniform systems, the Street Service calls went ‘live’ in the Contact Centre on 15th June 2010 as planned.  No technical or business change issues had so far been reported and the service was operating successfully.  Further service areas that could be handled within the Customer Contact Centre were currently being investigated and migration work would commence subject to an appropriate business case being developed.  A Member was concerned that vulnerable callers receive an appropriate level of service when contacting the Council, such as being allocated a named contact.  The Assistant Director: Organisational Improvement explained that a higher number of professional staff would be placed in the Customer Contact Centre specifically to support more complex calls.  Another Member was concerned that transferring aspects of the Registrars Service to the Customer Contact Centre might subtract from the highly personalised service offered.  The Chairman suggested that Members take the opportunity to visit the Customer Contact Centre to see the excellent customer service that was being delivered.

With regard to the joint-bid submitted with Bexley Council to secure funding for web development, Capital Ambition had confirmed on 21^st June that they would be unable to support the match-funded bid for £500,000.  The Assistant Director: Organisational Improvement highlighted the need to invest in the Bromley website to offer more transactional services and modernise its look and feel, and noted that the Organisational Improvement Board was still progressing with the investigation into whether web investment and development could be shared with the London Borough of Bexley, and the bid be resubmitted. 

Following the recent work with officers at Bexley, an opportunity to discuss the potential for closer working between the two organisations had been identified.  A joint board made up of both Borough Chief Executives and key Chief Officers had now been constituted, as had a joint project team supporting the work, and future progress on this work will be reported to Members.  The Chairman queried whether the joint project team had identified any service areas where cross-working with Bexley might be taken forward.  The Assistant Director: Organisational Improvement explained that a mapping exercise was currently being undertaken to identify the current position of both organisations, but that back office functions might provide initial opportunities for cross-working.  Another Member underlined the need for Members representing both Councils to work together to support future cross-working.

The Assistant Director: Organisational Improvement was pleased to note that following successful testing of the Voice Recognition system, the technology went live for staff and Members on 21^st June 2010.  The accuracy rate of calls was currently 82%, with the remaining 18% of calls connected through to Switchboard.  Failed connections and feedback would be evaluated on a planned basis with grammar being added to the system’s vocabulary in order to improve its accuracy.  Roll out of the system to external customers was planned to take place on 20^th September 2010.

A Member asked for an update on progress regarding the planned accommodation of Primary Care Trust (PCT) staff.  The Assistant Director: Organisational Improvement confirmed that a strategy had been developed to ensure office space sufficient for 50-60 people would be available within a short time frame without making significant investment in the Civic Centre site, but the PCT had yet to confirm whether the move would go forward.  In the event of the PCT not taking up the space, there were alternate plans to accommodate Children and Young People Department teams.  Another Member expressed concern at the relocation of teams from satellite offices to the Civic Centre site as there were significant benefits derived from social services teams being based together in a community setting.

RESOLVED that the progress made on the first phase projects within the Organisational Improvement Programme be noted.