Issue - meetings

To receive a report by the Head of Customer Service on the revised Customer Service Strategy.

That the Council approves the revised Customer Service Strategy attached as Appendix 1 to the Officer’s report.

By way of a report from the Head of Customer Service (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book), the Cabinet recommended the revised Customer Service Strategy to Council for approval.

Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel and the Cabinet had previously reviewed and commented on a summary ‘on a page’ document.  In light of Member feedback, the summary document had been developed into a wider and more comprehensive document, taking the foundation of the previous Strategy and updating the content to reflect other Council Strategies and Policies. The document also took into account customer feedback and had passed through a number of Officer groups.

The Customer Service Strategy included a section of how the Council would measure the outcomes the Strategy was expected to deliver.  It was noted that a number of measures included targets with ‘TBA’ and it was explained that as these were new measures targets were still being established.

At 7.37pm Councillor D Dew returned to the meeting.

The Strategy was a document that was intended to be owned by all Officers and linked through the Corporate Plan, Service Plans and to individual key performance indicators.  The Cabinet was informed that there were various events scheduled to promote the Strategy to Officers starting with the imminent ‘Meet Senior Management Team’ meetings.

During discussions it was requested that the Cabinet be presented with a future report that contained an overall summary of how Service Plans were being monitored and contributing to the Customer Service Strategy.

The Cabinet was informed that to be able to effectively measure and compare customer satisfaction a series of consistent questions were being introduced and that it was intended to refresh the Customer Feedback Policy.

The Cabinet agreed with the comment made by the Overview and Scrutiny Panel that a facility should be introduced on the Council’s website to enable a resident to search for their local Councillor by postcode.  It was further noted that the customer experience within this area of the Council’s website was noticeably different to that on the main website.

The Cabinet was informed that once ‘TBA’ targets had been replaced with numerical targets, the Strategy would be refreshed on the Council’s website.

The Cabinet expressed appreciation to the Head of Customer Service and Executive Councillor for Customer Services as having produced a summary of the new Strategy the revised Customer Service Strategy was now complete and the Cabinet

RECOMMENDED

that the Council approve the revised Customer Service Strategy attached as Appendix 1 to the Officer’s report.

To consider a report by the Head of Customer Services to which is attached a revised Customer Services Strategy.

(Councillor D M Tysoe, Executive Councillor for Customer Services, was in attendance for this item).

The Panel gave consideration to a report by the Head of Customer Services to which was attached a revised Customer Service Strategy (copies of which are appended in the Minute Book). The previous Strategy had been updated to reflect other Council strategies and policies. It also took into account customer feedback and the views of Officers. The result was a more comprehensive document with wider application. In addition, the Strategy’s links to the Corporate Plan had been strengthened and it now included examples of good practice.

Councillor T D Alban commented that a facility should be introduced to the Council’s website that enabled residents to identify their local Councillor. Officers agreed to follow up this suggestion. In reply to a question by Councillor J M Palmer, confirmation was received that Progress against the Strategy would be monitored through the corporate performance reporting process. An annual review also would take place.

RESOLVED

that the Cabinet be recommended to approve the revised Customer Service Strategy.