Agenda item

A NEW APPROACH TO SERVICE PLANNING

REPORT OF THE DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE

To note the new approach to service planning adopted by the Senior Management Team (SMT).

Decision:

RESOLVED:

(1) That the new approach to service planning be noted;

(2) That the interim review of the Council’s Consultation Strategy be noted;

(3) That the Committee requests that the review of the Consultation Strategy (see 2 above) be taken into account by the Task and Finish Group which considers the subject of Consultation.

REASONS FOR DECISION:

(1) To ensure that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee is aware of the processes in place with the organisation in respect of service planning;

(2) To inform the Overview and Scrutiny of the interim review of the Consultation Strategy prior to the Task and Finish Group on consultation which will of course produce its own recommendations in due course.

Minutes:

The Service Manager – Legal and Community presented the report entitled A New Approach to Service Planning.

She advised that the Senior Management Team had reviewed the approach taken in regard to service planning and how this would be presented and agreed that there would be an overarching 4 year Service Delivery Plan with service areas providing input into individual service actions plans all of which would be updated annually.

The new Service Delivery Plan and Action Plans were available on the NHDC website

In response to queries from Members the Service Director –Legal and Community advised that the service action plans had been provided to SMT, who then included any corporate actions in those documents in the Service Plan, the service specific/operational items were then published as the Service Action Plans.

The Communications Manager advised that, as part of the service planning process, SMT considered that latest results of the District Wide Survey, specifically regarding how well informed people felt, whether NHDC consulted with people regarding what they want, whether NHDC engaged with local communities and whether NHDC fully consulted with people, all of which had received less positive results in this survey.

In response to the results of the District Wide Survey, the Communication Team were looking at using new channels of communication and would be introducing an Ebulletin service, where people can subscribe to specific topics, and a digital magazine.

Whilst awaiting the expected Task and Finish Group on Consultation, there had been an interim review of the Consultation Strategy which had considered:

· Staff awareness of the Consultation Strategy;

· How well consultations and feedback was publicised;

· Use of the Citizens Panel.

The Communications Manager further advised that she would be offering the Senior Managers Group a session regarding consultation that would remind Service Managers of the Consultation Strategy, what it is, what the principals are and how consultations should be carried out.

They were also considering how the Citizens Panel could be used more effectively and whether people would like to leave their email address so that feedback could be given on consultations that they had taken part in and the decision taken following that consultation.

Members asked who best the Overview and Scrutiny Committee could support and engage with the development of the Consultation Strategy.

The Communications Manager advised that, her main focus would be on developing the Citizens Panel as they were a group of willing volunteers who could provide a lit of useful information.

Members welcomed the introduction of an e-magazine and queried whether, once introduced, the printed magazine could then be discontinued.

The Communications Manager informed Members that the number of editions of Outlook had been reduced and there were no plan to stop this paper magazine. Outlook was widely read and well received however it was acknowledged that not everyone read it and that it appealed to a specific demographic.

The purpose of the e-magazine was to reach audiences that were not already reading the magazine and would be much more community focussed. Social media users tended to be a different group of people from those already engaging with us.

Members commented that the list of activities at Section C of the Plan were not prioritised, nor were resources for these activities identified and in respect of service action plans, these appeared to be business as usual topics and again they were not prioritised.

They queried how many people were on the Citizens Panel and whether they were representative in age/gender/diversity etc to the residents of the District.

The Communications Manager advised that that historically the Citizens Panel was recruited when the District Wide Survey was undertaken and it was not representative of the District, however if the Citizens Panel wee used more frequently, the limitations would have to be recognised.

The Service Director – Legal and Community agreed to feedback the comments regarding the prioritising of actions plans and that they need to consistent in their content.

In response to queries, the Service Director – Legal and Community advised that the Service Delivery Plan provided a link between the Corporate Plan and Medium Term Financial Strategy and the targets set with staff during Regular Performance Reviews. It was part of the ‘golden thread’ that linked the Council’s priorities with the work of individual members of staff.