Meeting documents

Apologies were submitted on behalf of Councillor Hughes.

There were no declarations of interests.

RESOLVED (unanimously):

That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 September 2015 be approved as a correct record and signed by the chairman, subject to the words ?Councillor Foster, on behalf of Scrutiny Committee? being replaced by ?Councillor Foster, on behalf of Scrutiny Committee Chairman?.
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The Leader of the Council introduced this out-turn report which had previously been presented to the Scrutiny Committee, together with a proposed Action Plan which reflected the training and development needs for the year ahead. She commented that the Member Learning Hour sessions were becoming increasingly important as a means to impart knowledge, especially on important topics like the recent ones on the Combined Authority.

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RESOLVED (unanimously):

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That the out-turn report be noted and the proposed Action Plan be adopted.
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The Leader of the Council introduced The People Action Plan which was the Council?s strategic approach to ensuring that the organisation developed in a planned and efficient way through the effective use of its workforce. The Plan aimed to ensure that we had the right people with the right skills, knowledge, attitudes and commitment to achieve the Council?s Corporate Priorities. The Plan provided details of the overall workforce objectives for the period 2015 ? 2019 together with details of key targets that were measured and reported either annually or bi-annually.

The Leader referred to the improvement in the number of employees absent from work due to sickness which had been reduced to the lowest ever recorded figure.

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Councillor Bennett drew attention to the financial benefits of improving sickness absence records and the well supported and beneficial Health and Wellbeing Day was also commented on.

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RESOLVED (unanimously):

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That the out-turn report be noted and the proposed Action Plan be adopted.
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Councillor Mrs Moon, the Cabinet Member for Corporate Support, introduced this item which sought to implement self-service functionality with the aim of channel shifting customers to online when they engaged with the Revenues and Benefits Service. This channel shift would incorporate back office integration which, in many cases, would reduce double handing of accounts and claims to single or zero handling, whilst improving the customer?s experience of dealing with the council as processes would be automated, resulting in a speedier turnaround for enquiries.

Implementation of these services would assist the council in delivering value for money in all aspects of the council?s work, through changing processes and delivering exceptional customer service. These changes would also assist the Council in meeting the challenge of Business Transformation, the ?We?re Going Digital? vision of service provision within South Ribble and result in a more effective and efficient council.

Councillor Bennett welcomed the proposals which would lead to financial benefits through identified efficiencies.

In response to a question from Councillor Foster, Councillor Moon explained that a waiver to the Council?s Contract Procedure Rules was being requested in respect of this procurement as Capita was the only supplier who was able to supply all the modules that were being procured. Some individual modules, such as an online housing benefit claim form could be purchased from a third party supplier, but no suppliers other than Capita supplied all the modules that were required.

The purchase price of the modules from Capita had been reduced significantly due to a number of products being purchased simultaneously and by Purchasing all the modules from Capita would enable the Council to implement the new functionality more quickly without the need to integrate the new third party modules with the Capita Revenues and Benefits system.

RESOLVED (unanimously):

1. That the implementation of the Capita self-service functionality and the Capita creditors modules for use by Revenues and Benefits be approved and authority be granted under Section 3.4 of the Financial Regulations to incur capital expenditure of ?89,500 to be drawn from ICT Reserves.

2. That the waiver of all relevant Contract Procedure Rules (including paragraph 11.3) to allow for the implementation of the Capita modules be approved.
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Councillor Mrs Moon the Cabinet Member for Corporate Support introduced this report which concerned proposed changes to the processing of outgoing mail in the Revenues and Benefits Service. Implementation of a ?hybrid mail? solution would generate significant savings in the cost of processing and posting outgoing mail as well as eliminating the manual tasks associated with processing mail. This would assist the Council in delivering value for money in all aspects of the Council?s work and meeting the challenge of Business Transformation, resulting in a more effective and efficient council.

RESOLVED (unanimously):

1. That Cabinet approve participation in the joint procurement of Hybrid Mail Services with Preston City Council and Lancaster City Council which will call off Lot 3 of the Crown Commercial Services Postal Goods and Services contract , framework number RM1063.

2. That authority be delegated to the Director of Business Transformation, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Corporate Support, to subsequently award this contract following completion of the procurement exercise.
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RESOLVED (unanimously):

That the Forward Plan submitted under Section 22 of the Local Government Act 2000 be approved.
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