Agenda and minutes

None

Councillor Gethin declared and interest in Agenda Item 9 DMBC Finance and Performance Quarter 2 16/17 when discussing the Authority’s change of banks from the Co-operative to Lloyds.

The minutes of the meetings held on 2^nd and 10^th November, 2016 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

There were no public statements made to the Committee.

The Assistant Director Customers, Digital and ICT presented a report providing an update on the Council’s Digital Programme as at quarter 2 2016/17.

The headline statistics included £2.8m savings achieved, 65% of programme scope had been achieved, 20% of residents were accessing services online with 1538 members of staff trained. There were a number of achievements noted that included waste and recycling including missed, additional and bulkies collections, planning enforcement, track my service request and booking and payment for pest control now being available online.  With regard to key deliverables in the final two quarters includes working with Children’s Social Care, Registrars and adult social care teams to improve online systems.

The following issues were addressed:

  Contacting people who do not currently have any contact with Council services.  These people were very difficult to contact with people still requiring the more traditional means of contact.  It was stressed therefore that communication and promotion was essential and if anyone contacted the council for a new service, eg. Blue badge service then services be promoted.  The Committee was assured that staff were interacting with older people all the time.  Members suggested if information relating to online services could be circulated with Council Tax bills and ensure all staff be trained to promote service availability.

One stop shop Civic Office – continue to provide customers with a single access point to all Council and Housing Services;

Reduction in the use of paper and improved usage of the Modern.Gov system.  Members expressed concern that page numbering on the paper version of agenda was not synchronised with the computerised version.  It was also stressed that material provided for any agenda despatch needed to be appropriate eg. Reduce the requirement for coloured graphs.  A Member stressed that all agendas should be provided in computer version only removing the need for paper versions.

  Service Managers – concern was expressed that some service areas had failed to identify a business change manager but this was due to lack of availability, skills and capacity.  Members noted that sometimes capacity versus workload could create an issue, but stressed that there needed to be a buy in from Service Managers to ensure the programme could reach its full potential and desired savings.

  CYP Learning and Opportunities - Financial Position Overview – Members expressed concern that the Directorate had not achieved its digital priorities and savings and that the figures were out of date.  It was noted that following the Directors appointment a programme of efficiencies have been set for the year.  It was noted that some Directorates had been struggling in earlier years to support the actions required to become a digital council and assistance with core savings had been offered from other Directorates.  However, all Directorates were now responsible for making their own digital savings and the programme was about producing a Council that people could interact with and not just provide traditional ways of undertaking business.  There was a push to introduce members of the public  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

The Chair proposed that the item be deferred because the current report does not adequately set out clear actions, and responsibilities and timescales for the Trust to respond to the significant financial and operational issues that it faces, which are having knock on effects within the Council.  Overview and Scrutiny require a clear Financial Recovery Plan from the Trust, including actions with timescales for delivery to address the overspend for 2016/17 and the ongoing implications of the current situation into 2017/18 and beyond. 

RESOLVED that the report from Doncaster Childrens Trust, be deferred, to an extraordinary meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee in mid February. 

The Chair proposed that the item be deferred because the Committee had resolved to defer agenda item 7 Doncaster Children’s Services Trust Limited update report.

RESOLVED:  that the report, be deferred.

Quarterly Finance and Performance

The Committee considered the quarterly finance and performance report, with the following areas addressed by Directors when responding to Members questions:

Director Finance and Corporate Services

Value for money – it was noted generally that some areas across the Council were achieving Value for Money but others not and these areas were being addressed by individual Directorates.

Sickness – it was noted that the Finance and Corporate Services Directorate was on target.  In response to questions from Members it was noted that all Directors were being robustly challenged.  Sickness return to work interviews were essential and if a person’s sickness relates to a serious issue they are offered support from or automatically referred to Occupational Health.  It was recognised staff needed to be supported, with, for example, more homeworking if that is what was required.  It was noted that occasionally some managers did not apply the sickness policy, simply due to being so busy, but this only applied to a small number of teams and was being addressed.  The costs associated with staff sickness, particularly when agency staff were required to cover posts, was highlighted by the Committee.

The Committee also commented that a managers most valuable asset was staff and that if, for example 10 people were off sick, then they were concerned that the function would continue to run efficiently.

Internal Audit – It was reported that the Authority had changed banks from the Co-operative to Lloyds and associated issues relating to changes made and delivery of banking services for the Council.

The Director of Finance and Corporate Services concluded this section by highlighting that whilst services were performing well with 80% of Performance Indicators being on target there were a few that were showing concern.  He highlighted the potential overspend in the Children’s Trust, which could worsen and how the Council’s reserves could be affected by this, issues relating to White Rose Way and the requirement to balance future budgets. 

Director Adults Health and Well-being and Public Health

Safeguarding referrals for people who had a separate referral in the preceding 12 months – it was explained that the figure was higher than the 10% target and work was being undertaken to understand why there had been an increase.  Members were assured that officers were now far more proactive and the position was improving.

Care and support at home contract – it was noted that a joint management action plan had been provided to increase the take up of direct payment users.  Members stressed there was a need to support service users who wish to receive a direct payment and become an employer.

Sickness – It was noted that the Adult Health and Well-being Management Team was working with managers to ensure expectations with regards to sickness management were clear.  It was confirmed that sickness hotspots within the Directorate were actively being addressed.  It was also noted that there were no major issues with regards to sickness in Public Health as the Directorate was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

The Committee gave consideration to the St Leger Homes Finance and Performance report for quarter 2 and addressed the following areas:

·       Void rent loss was continuing to show dividends and void properties showed positive performance that were well within the year end target; 

·       Sickness – the figures were currently below target but it was noted that had recently been a spate of flu and heavy cold symptoms;

·       The number of households maintaining or established independent living had slightly reduced below the contractual level and was being monitored;  and

·       The 100% target of scheduled repairs had not quite been met but this was due to tenants not being home or the order of specialist parts did not arrive on time.

To conclude the discussion the Chair announced that Susan Jordan, Chief Executive of St Leger Homes of Doncaster was retiring and stated that it had been an honour to know her.  He thanked her on behalf of the Committee for all her hard work and stated that she would be sadly missed and wished her all the best for a happy future.

RESOLVED:  that the report and discussion, be noted.

The Committee considered the Overview and Scrutiny work plan for 2016/17 and noted the content.

Resolved that:  the work plan be noted.