Issue - meetings

The Committee considered the report of Transformation Director providing an update on the progress made in relation to the Council’s transformation programme.

The Committee received a presentation outlining the Council’s digital transformation and discussed the following matters:

·  To access services the Councils approach encouraged the use of the website but did not remove the ability of any of the current contact methods, including face to face contact or by telephone, and the need for strong political leadership to ensure that all options are readily available to members of the public;

·  the danger of digital exclusion and the difficulties in engaging some customer groups to use the digital option; 

·  the need to review how staff are trained to ensure a consistency of message given to members of the public and the service provided;

·  the lack of consistency in the Council’s web pages in regard to the publishing of contact numbers;

·  the increase in numbers and types of contacts received by Councillors in relation to difficulties in accessing the telephone system.

RESOLVED

(i)  That, in light of the issues raised by residents relating to contacting the Council by telephone, the training provided and messages given to employees is reviewed.

(ii)  That the Council’s website is updated to ensure that there is a consistent approach to publishing contact telephone numbers for service areas.

(iii)  That officers from the Transformation Team directly engage with the Pensioners Forum about the Council’s digital journey.

(iv)  That the Cabinet Member encourages Councillors to provide feedback to the Cabinet Member or Transformation Director about examples of poor customer service experienced by residents through changes designed to encourage channel shift, and to raise these points with employees when attending organised visits to the Customer Service Centre.

(v)  That the Cabinet Member provides political oversight of the message that the Council is seeking to ensure an inclusive approach to communicating with the authority.