Resolved:  That all items on the Agenda, except Agenda Item 12, ‘Exempt minutes of the Meeting Held on 6 July 2010’ be web-cast.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Ross.

It was noted that Councillor Butler was substituting for Councillor Ross.

There were no Visiting Members.

There were none.

Resolved:  That Agenda Item 12, ‘Exempt minutes of the Meeting Held on 6 July 2010’ be taken in private due to the likely disclosure of exempt information having applied the public interest test.

a)  6 July 2010; and

b)  3 August 2010.

The Committee noted that Cabinet had requested that the requested work on locally relevant indicators be aligned with the Council’s identified priorities and work on the strategic plan objectives and Key Performance Indicators for 2011 – 12 to avoid duplication and to decrease the burden on officers.  The Committee therefore agreed to send its letter to the Government Minister regarding the burden of National Indicators prior to the production of the locally relevant indicators list.

Resolved:  That

a)  The minutes of the meeting held on 6 July be agreed as a correct record and duly signed by the Chairman;

b)  The minutes of the meeting held on 3 August be agreed as a correct record and duly signed by the Chairman subject to the removal of the word ‘and’ from line five of minute ? 34; and

c)  Its letter to the Government Minister regarding the burden of National Indicators be sent prior to the officer’s production of the ideal list of performance indicators.

Interview with Kent County Council’s Head of Service – Gateway Delivery, Jane Kendal.

The Chairman welcomed Kent County Council’s Head of Service for the Gateway Delivery, Jane Kendal, to the meeting to discuss the Kent Gateway project as part of the Committee’s in-depth review.  Ms Kendal explained that she was responsible for the design, development and delivery of the Gateway project.  The project had received Communities and Local Government funding to help improve public access to Council services.  In October 2005 Ashford Borough Council, in conjunction with its partners, opened its Gateway.  Lessons were learnt from the civic response to it and they were able to adjust and respond to resident’s needs as required and interpret its findings to inform the establishment of other Gateways.  The analysis of this project fed into the production of its draft strategy, ‘The Future is Retail: Gateway Strategy for Kent’ and provided a sound basis for what could be achieved across the County.  In mid 2007, Kent County Council and Maidstone Borough Council considered forming a Maidstone Gateway, which was subsequently opened in January 2009.  The Gateway programme was recognised with a green flag in the December 2009 Corporate Area Assessment (CAA) for Kent as an example of national best practice and also featured in the 2009 Front Office Shared Service event as an example of good practice.

Ms Kendal explained that the Gateway concept included service hubs which enabled a breadth of services to be delivered through the Gateway.  She emphasised that the knowledge and expertise offered at the Gateway supported the customer’s right to information from the right agency.  Process mapping had helped them to understand the many agencies involved in transactions, such as when a customer makes a claim for benefits, and it was hoped that the Gateway would enable smoother transactions.  She noted that she hoped a single assessment for all benefits could be realised to improve the customer’s experience.  They were currently in conversation with Job Centre Plus with regards to how an integrated service could be offered in the Gateway.  A number of restructures had taken place in 2007/08, including Kent Adult Social Services and Children Services and this had slowed down some aspirations for the Gateway.  The way public front facing services were provided was being reviewed.

A mobile Gateway had been developed to provide fully transactional targeted services.  It provided effective support to urban and rural communities and had been in place for 12 months.  Satellite links enabled staff to operate as if they were working in their own back offices.  Mobile Gateways were intended to be available to all partners involved in the project and were currently used in Tonbridge.  Plans had been arranged to provide mobile Gateways in Gravesend, Swanley and Edenbridge.  Members recognised that the effectiveness of the mobile Gateways depended on the availability of staff to facilitate the required services and considered the importance of using customer insight tools to inform the requirements, particularly given the changing role of the Council.  The Job Centre Plus and other partners had expressed an interest in using  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

Interview with the Head of Revenues, Benefits and Customer Services, Steve McGinnes, and the Customer Services Manager, Sandra Marchant.

The Chairman welcomed the Head of Revenues, Benefits and Customer Services, Steve McGinnes and the Customer Services Manager, Sandra Marchant to the meeting to discuss Maidstone’s Gateway.  Mrs Marchant gave a powerpoint presentation, attached at Appendix A, regarding the services, use and structure of the Gateway.  This highlighted the following:

• There was an average 15 minute wait time to see a customer service advisor and an average 20 minute transaction time;
• The number of Housing enquiries was increasing and had overtaken benefit enquiries in August 2010;
• Licensing advice was not currently provided by the Customer Service Advisors;
• The Gateway had reduced its Thursday late openings from 8pm to 7pm due to low demand;
• No partner organisations provided a Saturday service in the Gateway;
• Other Gateway’s Saturday opening hours varied depending on their shopping environments;
• The Kent Benefit Partnership provision had only recently commenced and it was hoped it would increase its operating hours in the Gateway; and
• The Volunteers in the Gateway were distinguishable from the public as they wore white polo shirts bearing the Gateway logo.

The Committee considered the range of services provided in the Gateway and felt that some period specific services were missing.  Members felt this included offering face to face advice on adult and children education during periods of high demand.  They also felt advice from Registered Social Landlords should be provided, particularly Golding Homes.  The Committee agreed to consider this as part of its review, in addition to considering the requirement for the existing service provisions.  Mrs Marchant informed the Committee that Golding Homes had been involved in the initial discussions to have a presence in the Gateway but had decided against doing so.  She also informed the Committee that they had initially provided a booklet of their useful telephone numbers but had not provided an updated version to reflect its name change from Maidstone Housing Trust to Golding Homes.

In response to a question, Mrs Marchant informed the Committee that her biggest concern regarding the Gateway was the increasing wait times.  She highlighted that as the offer expanded to provide a holistic service, transaction times with each customer increased, subsequently having a knock on effect on wait times.  The Committee agreed to consider the resourcing of the Gateway to ensure wait times were appropriate as part of the review.

Members were advised that issues raised by staff regarding the Gateway working environment were addressed as and when they arose.  Mrs Marchant noted that the Housing Duty Staff had recently requested a larger working space and this was being considered.

The Committee requested the following information to inform its review:

• A breakdown of customer numbers between 8.30-9.00 am and 9.00-10.00 am;
• Opening times of other Gateways; and
• Details of the financial arrangements with partners using the Gateway.

The Chairman thanked the witnesses for an informative presentation and the Committee agreed to note the information provided to inform its review.

Resolved:  That

a)  The information provided be used to inform its review of the Gateway;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

Interview with the Head of Business Improvement, Georgia Hawkes, and the IT Business Service Manager, Lee Davey.

The Chairman welcomed the Head of Business Improvement, Georgia Hawkes, and the IT Business Service Manager, Lee Davey to the meeting to discuss the analysis of Maidstone’s Gateway data.  Ms Hawkes gave a powerpoint presentation, attached at Appendix A, regarding the Gateway Review Mosiac findings.  This highlighted the following:

• Mosiac Public Sector was a customer segmentation tool which identified likelihoods rather than absolutes;
• On average, each of the households that had visited the Gateway had visited it 2.9 times, with K&M 6s having visited it 4.2 times on average;
• The Gateway data used in Mosaic did not include casual callers at the meet and greet desk as post codes were not required for these visits;
• 40% of all visits were made by K&M 3 and 8’s;
• 20% of all visits were made by K&M 2 and 6’s;
• K&M 5, 7 and 8s were over represented in terms of Gateway visits in comparison to other Kent Districts;
• K&M 3 and 6s liked using the internet and there were therefore possible opportunities to expand internet services for these customers;
• There was not an obvious difference in K&M group preference regarding the times and days of their visits; and
• The importance of considering whether the Gateway should be positioned based on need or convenience.

The Chairman thanked the witnesses for the information they had provided.  He highlighted that it had been extremely useful in displaying the facts and noted the Committee’s role in interpreting and identifying the reasoning behind these.  Members agreed to use the information provided to inform its review of the Gateway.  Furthermore, Members considered the possible advantages of using Mosaic and GIS to inform corporate decision making and agreed that this be explored by officers with regard to spatial planning.

Resolved:  That

a)  The information provided be used as part of its review of the Gateway; and

b)  Opportunities to use Mosaic and GIS to inform spatial planning be explored by officers.

The Committee considered its future work programme and was informed that an informal day time meeting was being arranged to interview the Chief Executive of the Citizens Advice Bureau.  The Committee agreed to hold this meeting at 11am on Wednesday 19 October 2010.  Furthermore, the Committee noted that a representative from Job Centre Plus was attending its meeting on 5 October 2010 to be interviewed as part of its on going Gateway Review.

The Committee noted the key performance exception report and the Forward Plan of Key Decisions and agreed to add an item on the Strategic Plan to its work programme at an early stage in its production to ensure the Committee was able to influence it.

Resolved:  That

a)  The informal meeting with Citizens Advice Bureau take place on 19 October 2010; and

b)  An item on the Strategic Plan be added to the work programme.

The Performance and Scrutiny Officer, Ms Wood, informed the Committee that the Corporate Improvement Plan contained the actions that had arisen from previous inspections.  She asked Members for their comments regarding the progress made against each objective and the recommendations and comments against the tasks.

The Committee raised concern with regard to CIP 008.02, ‘present handbook and toolkit to Members and officers’, noting that it had been presented to officers but not to Councillors and agreed that this be addressed.  Furthermore, Members were concerned that the Carbon Reduction Action Plan had been delayed pending the replacement of the Climate Change Strategy/Framework and felt that this delay did not support the Council’s commitment to carbon reduction.  Members felt that the Council’s inaction showed no sense in urgency and could potentially lead to missed funding opportunities from Government.  The Committee requested that the Director of Resources and Partnerships be interviewed regarding the Committee’s concerns and to discuss how the Council was meeting the responsibilities it had signed up to and why it was not being treated with a sense of urgency. 

The Committee considered the recommendations arising from the IDeA productivity peer review and agreed to receive further information on this review to inform its scrutiny of these recommendations.  Members noted the Corporate Improvement Plan was being considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 15 September 2010 and agreed that this information could be considered after this.

Resolved:  That

a)  The consultation handbook and toolkit be presented to Members;

b)  The Director of Resources and Partnerships be interviewed regarding its concern about the Council’s climate change actions; and

c)  Further information regarding the IDeA productivity peer review be presented to the Committee.

Resolved:  That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business due to the likely disclosure of exempt information for the reason specified under schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972:-

The Overview and Scrutiny Officer apologised for not having arranged for the Chair and Vice Chair to meet with the Director of Change, Planning and Environment to obtain clarification regarding the issues with Maidstone House.  The Committee discussed the significance of obtaining clarification and noted that it would also inform part of the Committee’s in-depth review of the Gateway.

Resolved:  That the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 6 July 2010 be agreed as a correct record.

6.30pm to 10.15pm.