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Enc. 3 for Refresh of the Improvement Plan for 2013/14

Progress made on priority workstreams and projects

Priority workstreams

Planned work for 2012/13

Progress April � October 2012

Waste & Recycling

� Undertake tender process

� Clarify how bulky collections etc will work

� Clarify role of contractors

� Use of ICT for monitoring performance/contract

� Strategy alignment with Kent County Council (KCC)

� Maximise recycling rates to maximise KCC funding

� Moving processes on-line (next 6 months)

� Procurement completed, significant savings produced

� ICT a key part of contract monitoring

� Bulky and garden waste arrangements agreed

� Strategy aligned with KCC (November)

� Processes on-line for new contract

Customer services delivery

� Customer centricity review

� New website

� Ownership of website and resources � one service for customer contacts

� Voice recognition software � automated switchboard

� More work on Electronic Document and Record Management System (EDRMS) project and effects of moving towards this e.g. increased work

� Customer centricity review almost complete and recommendations on a new model of customer service delivery and engaging better with our residents are being developed

� Good progress on new website which is now managed by Customer Services.� Beta version to be published for internal view in December and for public testing in January 2013

� Automated switchboard has been procured and installed, implementation is ongoing.

� Corporate Support � Principle of Print/Post solution agreed with CLT. Specification for printers, Multi-functional devices (MFDs) and software being prepared, for tendering in November/December.

ICT

� Preparing business case and vision/10 yr strategy for April 2012/13

� Phase 1 � moving kit to Maidstone

� Phase 2 � Move virtual services to MKIP cloud

� Start phase 3

� Quick wins in consolidation, single systems and joint working e.g. new website Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells councils

� Approval to deliver a shared ICT service agreed April 2012

� 10 year strategy agreed April 2012

� Joint head of service appointed August 2012

� Governance arrangements, structure, staffing, objectives and finance agreed Nov 2012

� New service expected to �go live� 1^st April 2013

� Work continues on the centralised email (exchange) for MKIP partner staff, expected to launch Feb 2013

Hazlitt Arts Centre

� Planning and implementing different governance structure

� Work to make Hazlitt financially ready - maximising savings and income

� New governance means asset management and support structure issues

� Cost savings as set out in the Review are being implemented

� The Freedoms and Flexibilities so as to reduce cost have been developed and now need to be implemented

� Tender responses have been received and are being evaluated

Planning

� Investigate options for improvement of processing and delivery of planning support e.g. shared

� Channel shift to website

� Restructure to include Spatial Policy, plus support for those in management roles

� Investigation of Management & Admin recharges

� Consider options for service e.g. gold plated

� Efficiency work e.g. Business Improvement process improvement

� Participating in and responding to peer review

� Much work has taken place on the sharing of Planning Support Services with Swale BC and Tunbridge Wells BC

� The Planning Portal is continually being updated

� Work on the restructure is coming to an end

� Recharges has been investigated and changes to the format have been agreed

� Fast tracking applications without an up to date Development Plan is too risky

� Business improvement is ongoing.� Recently, for example, the Contact Centre now administer pre-applications

� The Peer Group Review work has been completed

Parking Transport Management

� Transport Strategy �models considered and delivery set up including Park and Ride issues

� Consolidate parking partnership

� Investigate other ways to pay e.g. mobile phone

� Channel shift on-line (into medium term)

� Draft Integrated Transport Strategy produced and consultation undertaken

� Parking partnership performing well

� Changes to P&R introduced to make savings

� Re-launch of service in the new year

Revenues & Benefits

� Efficiency work e.g. channel shift and reducing avoidable contact � building capacity to sell

� Planning to manage welfare reforms � need to have Council Tax benefit structure in place by April 2013

� Pilot undertaken with Liberata to test scope to trade with other councils.�� Report to be drafted for Corporate Leadership Team.

� Modelling for Local Council Tax Delivery Scheme and consultation completed.� Scheme agreed in principle to go forward for decision by full council.

� Modelling of Universal Credit impact ongoing.

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Housing

� Review policies and priorities

� Business Improvement process review � Private Sector Housing then Housing Options

� Review tenancy strategy, homelessness strategy, empty homes approach, affordable housing programme

� Understand, respond to and begin prevention of increased homelessness

� Decide how to respond to increased legal challenges

� Review use of local Bed & Breakfast accommodation

� Review housing assistance grants

� Decide on home improvement agency approach

� Consider threat to Disabled Facilities Grant funding � internal and external

� Plan approach for tackling disadvantage with early years (into medium and long term)

� New Allocation Scheme going through consultation and on target for adoption in December 2012

� Tenancy Strategy adopted

� Officers fully engaged in the Welfare Reform working Group at MBC and through Kent Housing Group

� On target to deliver 200+ new affordable homes by March 2013

� Homelessness increasing but use of TA has reduced over the previous 6 months

� Revised Empty Homes Strategy going through consultation process

� Implementing the action plan for Private sector housing improvements to service

Finance

� Restructure to work towards long term better support for business

� Decide and implement approach to recharges

� Develop use of Agresso (payments and invoice system) for more things e.g. for Direct Debits

� Restructure partly complete. Delay due to development of shared service proposal that may influence the final structure.

� Recharges have been amended and will be used from the Revised Estimate 2012/13

� Direct Debit delayed due to staffing levels. Project will commence January 2013

Building Control

� Break even

� Staff restructure

� Channel shift on-line

� Business modelling in� hand

� Break even being achieved

� Diversification continuing

� Way forward to be agreed

Priority projects

	Progress April � October 2012
Cross organisational collaboration	� Projects relating to Welfare Reform, Troubled Families and employment related support underway � Each project has a project team from across the organisation to ensure effective input and collaboration on shared actions � Project plans have been produced for each project with workstream leads updated at project team meetings � Outcomes and actions are monitored and reported
Future use of the Town Hall	� Awaiting outcome of Overview & Scrutiny review of the Visitor Economy Business Unit (VEBU)
Major assets review	� King Street car park � Cabinet have agreed to demolition and construction of a surface level car park, whilst seeking opportunities for redevelopment of the site � Medway Street� � No action � Park Wood � Cabinet have agreed a strategy of active management. Meetings have already been held with major tenants
Community asset transfer	� Cabinet Member report drafted setting out proposals for each community hall, decision due in December. Cabinet approval for Community right to challenge, process being implemented � Community right to bid report drafted for Cabinet decision � Asset review to be undertaken to identify land and other assets for transfer during 2013/14.
Management & Admin (M&A) recharges review	� Completed changes to simplify M&A where requested � Management accounts reporting design complete � Staff introductions to new report style to be rolled out
Corporate peer review	� The Council is scheduled to have corporate peer review by the Local Government Association� (LGA) in autumn 2013 � A peer review is currently being organised by the HR team of Health and Safety � There will be a peer review of the licensing function in 2013 working with the LGA as part of their new offer
More proactive use of Covalent	� Service planning has been changed to make it a continuous process through covalent rather than an annual activity. Managers have been encouraged to take ownership of service plan actions and have been given control over deadlines and target dates for service plan actions. � Covalent will now be used by the scrutiny team to track recommendations and responses across the organisation � Equality Objectives have now been added to Covalent � In 2013 we will be uploading policy and strategy documents to monitor when they need refreshing and maintain a better knowledge centrally
Other shared services and Mid Kent Improvement Partnership (MKIP) work	� Interim reports on MKIP Environmental Health and Planning Support were brought to the MKIP Board in September and the Planning Support business case will be considered in December. The aim is to have a decision on whether to form shared services for both areas in by March 2013 � The MKIP Programme Manager will start work looking at the feasibility of a separate MKIP organisation which aims to report back to the MKIP Board, providing a clearer steer on the future of MKIP, by June 2013