Decision details

The Chairperson welcomed Christine Salter, Corporate Director Resources.  The Chairperson advised Members the Committee was tasked with constructing a work programme for the municipal year to July 2018 that ensured the time available to the Committee was used effectively and maximised the impact of scrutiny.  The Committee’s remit determined responsibilities that fell within three Cabinet portfolios: the Leader; the Cabinet Member for Investment and Development; and the Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation and Performance. These portfolios span four Directorates of the current organisational structure.  The Directors would highlight:

• The key challenges faced for 2017/18; and
• How they consider the Committee’s work programme for 2017/18 could constructively assist in the improvement of services.

The Chairperson invited Christine Salter to deliver a presentation:

The presentation outlined the following:

• Directorate Profile

-       2017/18 Budget

-       Workforce

• Split of Budget across functions
• Directorate Delivery Plans
• Aspects of Potential interest to PRAP scrutiny

The Chairperson invited the Committee to ask questions.

Members of the Committee asked about the target sickness absence figure of 5.8 FTE, against the current 7 FTE and how this would be actively managed.

The Committee was interested to receive an update on procurement.  In response, it was explained that savings were on going.  A Local Authority Trading Company (LATC) had been established, providing work in England and Wales working within the trading rules.

Members of the Committee asked how the “Digitalisation” programme would be taken forward without isolating vulnerable groups.  In response, the Committee was advised that everyone would be considered a part of the process and the Hub’s would be the starting point.

The Committee was keen to see the development of Wellbeing, due to the lack of substance in the objectives and was an opportunity to bring back for consideration.

The Committee was advised that the “Digitalisation” agenda should be accelerated as this programme was supporting savings across the Council.  The Customer Relations Management system was the tool to take this forward and deliver the required savings.  This system would support an electronic mailing process of Council Tax notification, superseding the current paper billings system.

The Chairperson welcomed senior officers of the Economic Development Directorate, Tara King, Assistant Director Commercial Services and Helen Jones, Strategic Estates Manager.

The Chairperson invited the officers to provide the Committee with a verbal brief.

Tara King provided the Committee with an overview on Commercialisation.

• Income generation
• Facilities Management – County Hall, City hall, Castle
• Commercial Fleet
• Rationalisation

Fleet Services Digitalisation system would commence shortly along with work on the rationalising the fleet.

Schools were also being supported through this programme and school’s compliance was being maintained.

The Corporate Landlord Model was being introduced, covering five work streams.

• Health & Safety compliance
• Strategic Assets
• Services for Work
• Digitalisation
• People & Change

The Committee was advised of the internal and external customers. The intention was to insource work by bringing smaller jobs in-house.  Service Level Agreements (SLA) were in place for schools.

Helen Jones provided the Committee with an overview on Non-Operational Estates and Investments.

The Committee was advised that strategies had been in place over the years to support this service however, an established process to monitor the overall Estate was not complete.  A deeper understanding of the estate was required with key focus being placed on the 18-24 months.  A full audit of the estate was needed and how the estate was being utilised.  A new IT data base was being created to control and monitor the estate in one place.

The Committee were keen to learn about school buildings being used out of hours and if the Council were charging for these services.  In response, Members were advised that out of hours activity was taking place.  These school assets were not fulfilling their potential and additional income should be expected.  In future new schools would be designed to support external facilities.

The Committee drew attention to services provided by Parks and the responsibility to deal with open land space.  In response, Officers confirmed that the Corporate Landlord model would have visibility of land ownership.

The current estate audit was focusing on land but would pick up on parks and open space once the buildings had been analysed.

The Committee discussed Community Asset Transfers (CAT) and were informed that a project manager had been appointed to support these groups independently.

The Chairperson welcomed Davina Fiore, Director Legal and Governance to provide the Committee with a verbal briefing.

Davina Fiore explained the Directorate consisted of:

• Legal Services
• Democratic Services
• Electoral Services
• Scrutiny
• Bilingual Cardiff 

Key challenges facing the directorate were budget restraints with the main section of the budget contributing towards staffing.  The Legal Services workloads were outlined to the Committee whose main responsibilities were to support the priorities and initiatives of the Council.  There would be additional legal support available from newly advertised posts.

The Bilingual Cardiff Strategy was positive, however there was very little budget to deliver the programme.  The increase in the demand for translation had an impact on the service, whilst the team had sourced income generation from an SLA with the Vale of Glamorgan Council.  Posts were being advertised on a Welsh Language website and it was hope that additional Welsh speakers would be entering into the organisation.

Sitting with Scrutiny were the Equalities Team consisting of 2 members of staff who played an important role in the accountability of equalities across the Council.

The Electoral Services Team delivered and organised all elections and administered the electoral register. There had been some difficulty recruiting to this service and a further advertisement would be published.

Committee and Members Services supported the Council’s Committees and Members.  There was an issue with the number of meetings taking place as there were not enough resources to support them.  The Members Induction Programme was progressing and buy in was required from all Members.

A Scrutiny Review had taken place under the previous administration and recommendations had come forward.  To date the recommendation to reduce the number of scrutiny committees had not been adopted by the Council, and it would be essential to keep Members engaged in the scrutiny process. 

Members of the Committee asked if the Election Count process could be looked at, as the current system was considered slow.  In response, the Committee was advised that Elections were run by the Returning Officer.  Complexities were experienced by administering 4 Cardiff constituencies with a high volume of electors.

The Chairperson welcomed Sarah McGill, Director Housing & Customer Services and Isabelle Bignall, Assistant Director Customer Services.

The Committee received a presentation which outlined the following:

• Achievements

-       Council website

-       Best Welsh Authority Website

-       C2C

• Corporate Plan Commitments

-       Increase customer contacts to the Council using digital channels

-       Improve Ask Cardiff Results related Digital Use

-       To review, promote and increase current online services offered by C2C

• Community & 3^rd Sector

-       Stronger Partnership Work

Members of the Committee were pleased with the current Hub services being provided across the city and asked what provisions were in place to encourage and support elderly people to use the facilities. Officers explained that access to services was monitored, along with the demand for services. This was a potential item for a Task & Finish exercise.

The Chair highlighted that how to achieve a Council Wide customer first culture/ethos in addressing customer demand had been identified as a potential Task & Finish Item.