Agenda item

To receive the report of the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources informing Members of the Council’s performance against key measures in 2018-19 and set out the next steps towards implementing a new performance framework.

18.1    Councillor Jennie Watkins, Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods was in attendance in place of the Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources who had been unable to attend due to absence on Council duties.

18.2    Councillor Watkins introduced the report which set out the Council’s performance against a set of 28 key indicators in 2018-19. She noted that throughout 2018-19 work had been ongoing around setting targets and thresholds for RAG statuses to present the data in an even more meaningful way. Alongside this work, the strategy, performance and governance workstream of the Together Gloucester 2 Programme had been progressing.

18.3    She drew Members’ attention to the following indicators:-

·       Delivery of affordable housing units

·       Number of housing completions

·       Percentage of total waste recycled

·       Time taken to process Housing Benefit new claims

18.4    The Chair referred to CST1 and he asked if the reduction in face to face contacts had resulted in a corresponding increase in other channels of customer contact. The Head of Policy and Resources undertook to ask IT and he advised that a new telephony system was being procured which would provide better information.

18.5    Councillor Pullen referred to CST2 and he questioned the customer waiting time for telephone recorded as 2m 03 secs. The Head of Policy and Resources advised that the new customer service portal would provide everything customers needed and give a much improved service.

18.6    Councillor Watkins asked what were Members’ expectations for telephone waiting times and it was agreed that further clarification on the indicator was required.

18.7    Councillor Wilson asked what had been the longest individual wait. Councillor Finnegan stated that on one occasion she had held on for 45 minutes to be told to hang up as other customers required to use the line. She then recalled and waited a further 30 minutes before being told to hang up. She then sent an e-mail to which she had not yet received a reply. Councilor Lewis reported similar experiences.

18.8    The Head of Policy and Resources reported that the appointments system for reception, which was the start of the process, had been well received and the subject of customer compliments. He believed that this had reduced the number of customers waiting for attention in the reception area.

18.9    Councillor Organ noted that many people still did not have access to the internet, particularly the elderly and the vulnerable. He asked that consideration be given to another channel specifically for these groups of people.

18.10  Councillor Hawthorne noted that Members’ experiences reported this evening did not reflect the reported statistics. He suggested that the Committee be provided with the raw data so the matter could be considered for further scrutiny.

18.11  Councillor Watkins questioned the value of that given the forthcoming introduction of a new telephony system. She accepted Councillor Organ’s point. The Head of Policy and Resources undertook to make enquiries about the provision of raw data and further clarification of the indicator.

18.12  The Vice-Chair referred to CIE5 and asked if the falling number of customers using the garden waste collection service was a cause for concern. The Head of Policy and Resources would seek further information to clarify. Councillor Lewis noted that a number of his neighbours had installed artificial grass which would not produce green waste.

18.13  In answer to a question from Councillor Hansdot, the Head of Policy and Resources advised that the new customer portal would interact with all services. The Chair noted that it was to be called The Gateway which was also used for an initiative in Matson. Councillor Watkins took note.

18.14 Councillor Hansdot referred to CIE 4 and expressed concern at the number of missed domestic waste collections. The head of policy and Resources noted that missed collections totalled just 0.7 per cent of the total number of collections.

18.15.Councillor Pullen welcomed the fall in the number of complaints received (CST 3) and the forthcoming new complaints policy. He stated that data on the resolution of complaints would be useful. The Head of Policy and Resources stated that he had that information for revenues and benefits and would check the availability of data for other services.

18.16  RESOLVED that the report of year End Performance Monitoring 2018-19 be noted.