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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms 2/3, Civic Offices Angel Street Bridgend CF31 4WB. View directions

Contact: Mr Mark Anthony Galvin  Senior Democratic Services Officer - Committees

Items
No. Item

23.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008 (including whipping declarations)

 

Minutes:

None.

24.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES pdf icon PDF 44 KB

To receive for approval the Minutes of the meetings of 6 September and 5 October 2017

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:             That the Minutes of the meeting of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committees of 6 September and 5 October 2017 be approved as a true and accurate record.                                                   

25.

FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME UPDATE pdf icon PDF 82 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Scrutiny Officer presented the Overview and Scrutiny Forward Work Programme for 2017-18 for approval. She provided details on the items due to be considered at the Committee’s meeting to be held on 14 December 2017 and sought confirmation of the information required for the subsequent scheduled meeting to be held on 25 January 2018. The Scrutiny Officer also submitted the list of responses to comments, recommendations and requests for additional information from the previous meeting. The report also contained a list of potential Forward Work Programme items for formal prioritisation and allocation to each of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

 

The Scrutiny Officer explained that the 2017-2018 Half Year Financial Performance and Half Year Corporate Plan Performance Report due to be considered on 14 December 2017 would probably not be ready for that meeting and might need to go to a later meeting because of the way the data was recorded and when it would be available. The City Deal due to be considered 21 February 2018 would be ready for the January meeting so could be brought forward.

 

The Scrutiny Officer reported that she had received requests from the Corporate Director- Social Services and Wellbeing for two pre decision reports to be considered, “Remodelling Older Persons Accommodation” and “Children’s Social Care University Fees”. These would replace “Empty Homes” on 8th January 2018 and “The Economic Prosperity of Bridgend County Borough” on 7th February 2018.  Members requested further information regarding each request to see if they could be taken following the items already in the work programme. They were reluctant to delay consideration of “Empty Homes” in particular because of the amount of interest in this particular item.

 

A Member raised the item “Corporate Plan” due to be considered in January 2018 and suggested that a review of the delivery of the plan in 2016-17 including outcomes be included in the report so that Members could see how effective it had been and the impact on the following year.

 

A Member raised the Community Safety Partnership item to be considered in March 2018 and suggested that this should be an opportunity to look at Safeguarding. Bridgend had the fourth highest number of LAC in Wales and two Child Practice Reviews and he raised concerns about how these issues were being picked up. Concerns were raised about the exploitation of vulnerable adults also as part of the Community Safety Partnership. The Scrutiny Officer explained that the authority had not had a Community Safety Partnership Officer in place for the last 12 to18 months. Other scrutiny committees were also looking at this area and it was important not to duplicate work. A Member suggested that this should be included in the risk register.

 

RECOMMENDED:    

 

The Committee confirmed the items for their own FWP for the next couple of meetings and agreed to only have the finance report for the 14 December as the Committee had not yet had their workshop on scrutiny of performance reports.  The Committee also  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

26.

Digital Transformation Programme pdf icon PDF 794 KB

Invitees:

 

Darren Mepham – Chief Executive

Councillor Hywel Williams – Deputy Leader

Martin Morgans – Head of Performance and Partnership Services

Phil O’Brien – Project Officer – Digital Transformation

Minutes:

The Head of Performance and Partnerships presented his report updating Overview & Scrutiny on key developments with regards the progress for the delivery of the Digital Transformation Programme. He explained the background including internet usage in Bridgend, the one star rating from SOCITM, the procurement process in April 2016 and the review in April 2017. He outlined the Digital Strategy and Business Process Reengineering, potential benefits of “ITrent” for HR and the importance of the web site redesign. He anticipated that they would be in a ready state by 31st January 2018 but there would only be one opportunity to get it right so it was anticipated that “My Account” would be available to the general public from Spring. 

 

Members thanked the Head of Performance and Partnerships for his presentation and asked if the group had looked at websites that other authorities had, in particular those with a high SOCITM rating. The Head of Performance and Partnerships explained that the group had looked at other successful sites, both English and Welsh. Following the release of the new website there would be an accessibility review and if the website was made more complex the authority could fail. Any problems with planning could be because of the portal and he agreed to look into the matter.  

 

A Member suggested using photographs on the website with a menu on the side. The Head of Performance and Partnerships explained that this style could result in accessibility issues particularly from a smartphone.

 

A Member commented that when it came to testing the website, valuable feedback would be gained from officers and external users. The Head of Performance and Partnerships explained that there was a Digital Board, staff from S8080 and a selection of citizens with whom there was continuous engagement, feedback and change. The development of “My Account” resulting in the upskilling of Customer Contact Officers would enable basic Council Tax and Housing Benefit questions to be answered at the first point of contact.  The Council would provide a better service for citizens for both Face to Face and Telephony alongside the Digital channel.    This would allow senior officers time to deal with the more complex issues.

 

A Member stressed the importance of continuing to have face to face services for those not digitally included. He also raised concerns that there were significant cuts in the provision of IT training courses preventing citizens from training to engage in the new technology. The Head of Performance and Partnerships explained that because of concerns relating to digital exclusion there was a need to maintain other channels. It was important to maintain training schemes going forward and libraries were well equipped. This was outside the project but needed to be addressed. The Deputy Leader stated that education was a priority from cradle to grave and it was important to have the right offer fit for purpose. Going forward it was a priority to increase the ability for residents to engage digitally.

 

The Chief Executive confirmed that this programme  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

27.

Urgent Items

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in

accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

 

Minutes:

None

 

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