SUMMARY/PURPOSE
1.
To
invite the Executive to make recommendations to the Council about the way in
which the Council deals with its customers.
BACKGROUND
2.
The
report attached entitled ‘Great Access to
Great Services’, sets out all the background to this item.
STRATEGIC CONTEXT
3.
The
strategic context to the report is described within the body of the report and
demonstrated diagrammatically in its Appendix.
CONSULTATION
4.
The
report and its recommendations arise from extensive consultation within the
Council and, as part of the Best Value project ‘Connecting with the Public’,
with a wide range of people and bodies external to the Council. The report and its recommendations have been
reviewed by an external consultant and are commended to the Council.
FINANCIAL/BUDGET IMPLICATIONS
5.
There
will be significant financial implications of implementing the strategy being
recommended. The estimated costs of
implementing electronic government are put at around £31 million over 10
years. The Programme Board, the subject
of one of the report’s recommendations, will be given authority to commit
expenditure only within the budget approved by the Council.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
6.
There
are no particular legal implications arising from the report.
OPTIONS
7.
There
are a range of options available to the Council in tackling the e-government
agenda and the needs of customers. The
report attached argues that whichever option is chosen to deliver e-government
targets, there is a need for a clear vision of what the Council is seeking to
achieve as set out in the report’s recommendations.
EVALUATION/RISK MANAGEMENT
8.
Given
the significant potential costs, there is a very high risk attached to this
project. For this reason, the report
recommends that external advice is taken before further investment is
contemplated.
|
RECOMMENDATIONS 9.
The recommendations to the Executive are (a) to (e) inclusive on Page
7 of the attached report. |
BACKGROUND PAPERS
10.
(a) District Auditor’s report on e-government
– August 2002
(b)
Best
Value project work on ‘Connecting with the Public’.
(c)
External
challenge report from Pascoe Sawyers of the Improvement and Development Agency.
Contact Point : Mike
Fisher, ( 823102,
e-mail: [email protected]
|
M
J A FISHER |
P HARRIS Deputy Leader |