Issue - items at meetings - Customer First in a Digital Age

Report of the Interim Executive Director for Finance & Resources (copy attached).

That the Committee:

1)    Approves the three year investment in the proposed Customer First in a Digital Age (CFDA) Programme as set out in this report at paragraphs 4.12-4.20.

2)    Approves the use of a CFDA Investment Fund, CFDA Investment Reserve and the associated revenue and capital expenditure for 2016/17.

3)    Notes that expenditure after 2016/17 will be subject to available funding and approval of fully funded annual Capital Investment Programmes by Budget Council in February 2016.

4)    Grants delegated authority to the Chief Executive and Section 151/Chief Financial Officer to implement the programme including authorisation of the use of the investments approved at recommendation 2.1, subject to Contract Standing Orders.

52.1       The Committee considered a report of the Interim Executive Director for Finance & Resources in relation to Customer First in a Digital Age. The report sought approval for investment in line with the Council’s Corporate Plan and existing Medium Term Financial Strategy in the Customer First in a Digital Age Programme. By way of introduction the Chair stated that the report was of huge significance and would form part of the foundation to transform Council services and deliver new ways of working. The programme would be a key measure to make the required savings whilst delivering improved services; the work would be monitored by the Committee and the cross-party working group. The Chair added that he hoped it was a programme that could be supported by all Groups.

52.3       Councillor Janio welcomed the report; in response to queries it was clarified that the report included the work that would be undertaken around digital inclusion and the report sought to be high level in nature, but there was much more detail for the working group on each of the project streams.

52.3       Councillor Mac Cafferty welcomed the report, but expressed concerns in relation to the reduced potential for contact by phone, highlighting that 10 million adults in the UK had never used the internet; however, he noted the commitment to digital inclusion. He went on to add that the programme should be explicit on the value of digital skills, particularly for older people.

52.4       In response to Councillor Sykes it was clarified by Officers that the ethos behind the programme was to use smaller providers for different elements, as opposed to one large provider; in relation to Orbis it was clarified that the decision on this joint working would be the subject of a decision to a later meeting of the Committee. In response to further queries it was added that work would be undertaken to match customers to their need digitally instead of this going through Officers to shorten as many transaction as possible; there was evidence of this providing savings from the work undertaken by other authorities.

52.5       Councillor Wealls noted that the Conservative Group would support the report, but he expressed concern that the option to outsource this work had not been had not considered in full, and added that Members would need much more information going forward on how the proposed savings could be objectively quantified. The Chair added that there would be a cross-party Member working group and annual reports to ensure the programme was fully monitored. The Interim Executive Director also added that there was robust information behind each of the individual work streams.

52.6       Councillor A. Norman added that this was an exciting programme, and the city was well placed to deliver given the thriving digital sector; she stressed the need for safeguards to provide elderly customers at risk of digital exclusion.

52.7       The Chair then put the recommendations to the vote.

52.8       RESOLVED - That the Committee:

1)        Approves the three year investment in the proposed Customer First in a Digital Age (CFDA) Programme as set out in this report at paragraphs 4.12-4.20.

2)        Approves the use of a CFDA Investment Fund, CFDA Investment Reserve and the associated revenue and capital expenditure for 2016/17.

3)        Notes that expenditure after 2016/17 will be subject to available funding and approval of fully funded annual Capital Investment Programmes by Budget Council in February 2016.

4)        Grants delegated authority to the Chief Executive and Section 151/Chief Financial Officer to implement the programme including authorisation of the use of the investments approved at recommendation 2.1, subject to Contract Standing Orders.