PAPER B

Committee : RESOURCES SELECT COMMITTEE

Date : 20 DECEMBER 2002

Title : SERVICE PLAN – FINANCE AND BUSINESS SERVICES

THE REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND INFORMATION AND COUNTY TREASURER

SUMMARY/PURPOSE

The draft Service Plan for 2003-04 in respect of Finance & Business Services is attached. The explanatory front page sets out a number of aspects of the plan which members are asked to consider, and a number of issues on which comments and guidance are invited.

The Plan focuses on the coming financial year, although some of the targets for the current year have now been achieved, and are reported.

In accordance with the Council’s timetable, the Plan will be updated for budget changes in due course and brought back to the committee in the spring incorporating a full account of 2002-03 performance.

RECOMMENDATION

That the members of the committee consider the Plan, and offer such comment and guidance as they deem appropriate.

BACKGROUND PAPERS

Service Plan for Finance & Business Services, Resources Select Committee 21^st August 2002.

Contact Point : Paul Wilkinson

J PULSFORD

Strategic Director Finance and Information and County Treasurer

Service Plan

Finance and Business Services

August 2002

(First published May 2002)

This Service Plan is produced primarily to provide members of the Resources Select Committee with details of the way this Unit proposes to deliver service improvements, and to contribute to the delivery of the Council’s priorities.

It also contains information showing members how the Unit has performed against its previous targets.

Most of the information likely to be of interest is in the body of the plan, but financial information and a full set of improvement targets are available should members require more detailed information.

Members are asked to:

ü Consider the Unit’s planned contribution to delivery of priorities

ü Review past performance and future targets

ü Consider the proposed service improvements

ü Review achievement of last year’s planned improvement

ü Note any consultation feedback

ü Consider and prioritise any budget implications of the plan

This exercise should then form the basis for members to:

ü Suggest amendments to the plan

ü Make recommendations to the Executive for changes to service priorities

ü Provide input to the medium term budget process

ü Select specific areas for further examination

ü Consider possible responses to corporate budget options and strategies as they arise

Service Plan for Finance and Business Services

Published May 2002

Incorporating:

Accountancy, Audit, Customer Accounts, Customer Service Centre, Insurance & Risk Management, Payments, Payroll, Pensions Administration, Post Room, Print Room, Procurement, Registration of Births, Deaths & Marriages, Revenues & Benefits, Word Processing

Contents
3	Key Objectives
4	Service improvement plan
7	Performance review
9	Consultation
10	Budget implications

Compiled by:

Paul Wilkinson, Service Head

24^th April 2002

Providing high quality Council services:

ü putting performance, quality and best value at the heart of the Council’s approach to service delivery

ü being transparent, open and accountable in all we do

ü ensuring effective scrutiny of our services

ü valuing our staff and ensuring that they are empowered to get on with the job

ü developing and maintaining strong and effective political and managerial leadership in delivering our services

ü pursuing the principles of performance management to ensure excellence in all we do

ü involving the community in both the development and the delivery of our services

ü developing the skills and abilities of our staff who are the single most important resource available to the Council.

Improving health, housing and the quality of life for all:

ü developing and implementing a programme of activities to reduce poverty and encourage benefit takeup

ü reducing waiting times for services

ü increasing the use of modern technology to improve communication and access to services.

Encouraging job creation and economic prosperity:

ü attracting inward investment to the Council and to the Island economy

Corporate Governance commitments:

ü strong political and managerial leadership

ü strategically driven excellence in service delivery

ü improving community focus

ü continuous organisational improvement and staff development

Key performance measures and targets

	Actual 2000-01	Target 2001-02	Current 2001-02	Target 2002-03	Benchmark 2001-02		Key Objective
Payment of retirement benefits in 5 days %		92	93	95			Reducing waiting times for services
Registrars callers seen within 10 minutes of appointment time %		100	100	100
Average days for new benefit claim	50.91	-	50	45	51.95	NUBG avge* TQ * = 36
Average days for change of benefit circumstances	16.64	35	15	35	17.62	NUBG avge* TQ * = 9
Benefit renewals processed on time %	56.1	80	65	80	56.1	NUBG* avge TQ* = 83
Switchboard calls answered in 15 seconds %	88.8	91	87.3	92
Invoices paid within 30 days %	94	97.5	92	100	84.8	SCUBG avge*
Reception calls answered in 15 seconds %			95.36
Payroll cost per employment £	34.28	36.37		38.04	43.86	SCUBG* avge	Performance, quality & best value
Benefit cost per claim £	35.38		38.00	40.00	47.18	NUBG avge*
Customer accounts recovery rate %		98	95.14	96.14	98.07
Council Tax collection %	98.5	97.5	98.4	97.7	96.9	NUBG avge* TQ * = 96.7
NNDR collection %	98.8	98.1	99.7	98.2	98.4	NUBG avge* TQ* = 98.4

·

· SCUBG – South Coast Unitaries Benchmarking Group; NUBG – New Unitaries Benchmarking Group; TQ – Top Quartile

Service Improvement Plan

Task	Target Date	Outcome	Responsible Officer	Dependencies	Key objectives to be achieved
Procurement strategy	Mar 03	Council wide strategy in use	JS	Director & member support	Excellence in service delivery, best value
Risk management	Mar 03	RM principles embedded in management culture	CS	Director & member support	Excellence in service delivery
Medium term budget	Mar 03	3 year rolling budget, driven by service plans	PW	Director & member support	Excellence in service delivery, effective leadership
Performance management	Sep 02	Framework in place across Unit			Excellence in service delivery
Absence management	Sep 02	Framework in place across Unit			Staff development
Stress audits	Dec 02	Completed for all staff			Staff development
Financial information for members	Mar 03	Regular monitoring reports	SRF	ICT support	Ensuring effective scrutiny
Website development	Mar 03	On-line financial information	SRF	Staff time	Being transparent, open and accountable
Benefits advice in Newport	Sep 02	5 day presence in Customer Service Centre	MT		Reduced waiting times for services, encouraging benefit takeup
‘One visit’ revenues enquiry service	Sep 02	Reduction in return visits/correspondence	MT		Reduced waiting times for services
Card payments	Apr 02 onward	Payment by card for Council services	MT		Excellence in service delivery

Task	Target Date	Outcome	Responsible Officer	Dependencies	Objectives to be achieved
Switchboard improvements	Aug 02	Reliable telephone access, single contact point	MG	ICT support	Reduced waiting times for services
Financial support to Engineering	Sep 02	Seconded finance adviser	SRF	Vacancy panel	Effective managerial leadership
Registrars marketing	Mar 03	Enhanced facilities, new ceremonies	JE	Funding and staff availability	Excellence in service delivery
Staff development	Sep 02	Training & development plan	PW		Developing staff skills and abilities
Trainee grades/modern apprentices	May 02	Generic trainee scale	SRF	Vacancy panel	Staff development
Benefit take-up/ anti-poverty strategy	Mar 03	Anti-poverty strategy which maximises take up in place	MT		Reduction of poverty and encouragement of benefit takeup
Maximising funding	Jul 02	Island apart update Capital strategy	PW GH	Co-operation of service managers	Attracting inward investment
Financial health	Feb 03	Balanced deliverable budget Treasury Strategy	PW GH	Budget pressures, grant review	Effective political and managerial leadership
Paperless systems	On-going	Automatic data transfer, on-line remote access	MC GF LB SRF	ICT support	Continuous organisational improvement

Last year’s service improvement targets were:
Outcome	Target Date	Date achieved	Comments
Improved telephone system – Revenues	Mar 02		Monitoring software now installed
Payment cards for post office payments	Mar 02	Feb 02
Enhance customer service area	Apr 01	Apr 01
Improve waiting room for death registrations	Sep 01		Ongoing, some progress
Promoting marriages on the Island	May 01	Apr 01	Bridal fayre/brochure complete, developing website and business links
Devolve schools accounting support	Apr 02	Sep 02	Contracts with schools agreed
Set up schools financial forum	Dec 01	Dec 01
Best value accounting code of practice implemented	Feb 01	Mar 01
Payments received via Internet	Sep 01	Feb 02	National reference site
Customer services enhancements	Dec 01	Mar 02	Includes water cooler and electronic notice board
Payroll benchmarking with the private sector	Mar 02	Mar 02
Electronic transfer from SIMS to payments system	Jan 02	Mar 02	Transfer of payment data to schools
Capital resources maximised	Mar 02	Mar 02	Achieved
SRB resources maximised	Mar 02	Mar 02	Achieved
Housing Revenue Account closed	Mar 02	Mar 02	Potential £1m per annum loss avoided

Service Manager’s review of 2001-02:

Key achievements:

ü Social services/health partnership progressed

ü Successful claim for storm damage

ü Debt management savings of £400,000

ü Implementation of benefits verification framework – 10% reduction in cases

ü Braille payslips introduced

ü Service Level Agreements for payroll services introduced

ü IW lottery payroll deductions implemented

ü Bridal Fayre to promote civil marriages

ü Registration Service now open on alternate Saturday mornings

ü Customer account payments via Internet

ü Customer service centre enhancements

ü New statutory accounting requirements met

ü New Education funding requirements implemented

ü Restructuring of Island Partnership and Rural Community Council

ü Successful negotiation of Housing Revenue Account closure

ü Unqualified Statement of Accounts

ü Capital strategy acceptable to Government

Disappointments:

ü Unable to improve reliability of telephone facilities at Sandown Civic Offices

ü Customer Service Centre still unmodified

	Subject for consultation	Date & contact	Key results of consultation	Action taken
Past consultations	Customer service centre users (members, section heads, public)	Oct 01 M Gardiner	Suggestions included links to benefits office, extended opening hours, ability to accept cash	Benefits presence to be provided in Newport. Extended opening is included in service plan
	Benefits stakeholders	Mar 02 M Toney	Requests for improvements in verification process and liaison	Suggestions implemented
	Personal callers at Sandown office	Nov 01/ Jan 02 M Toney	Statutory triennial best value survey – higher than expected satisfaction levels	Repeat survey annually and extend to other service points
	Registration venues	Jan 01 J Elwin	Suggestions on format of naming and renewal of vows ceremonies	Suggestions incorporated
	Marriage questionnaire	Jan 01 onward J Elwin	Couples very satisfied with service provided. Mainland clients find Island an attractive location	Nothing specific, but new initiatives always under consideration
	Snack Bar	2001 M Gardiner	Request for larger and more modern accommodation	Option to install extra seating on balcony was costed, but proved too expensive
	Registrars telephone survey	Jun 02 J Elwin	Very satisfied with the service provided and prefer face to face contact. No signs around Newport to show location of Register Office	Continue to push for signage around Newport
Planned consultations	Registrars telephone survey	Dec 02 J Elwin
	Personal callers at all Sandown office and other benefits counters	Sep 02 M Toney
	Benefits stakeholders	Sep 02 M Toney

Revenue Expenditure	2003-4	2004-5	2005-6	Comment
Legislative pressures
Education and Social Services accounting initiatives	27.0	39.0	32.0	New financial management requirements – staffing cost
New Government standards for housing benefit claim processing	25.0	50.0	75.0	Five extra staff, costs offset in part by sanction income
New tax & pension credits – benefits workload	22.0	22.0	22.0	Cost of dealing with 2,500 additional benefit claims per annum, net of grant
Requirements of Local Government Bill – prudential code etc.	25.0	50.0	50.0	Two additional staff in time for expected implementation date of 2004/05
Service Improvements
Deputy Registrar cover	1.2	5.0	1.0	Income potential
Restore deleted audit post	25.0	25.0	25.0	Risk management exercise high priority
Registrar’s web site	5.0			Income potential
Education forum secure web page	6.0	12.0	12.0	Partnership working

Capital Expenditure	2003-4	2004-5	2005-6	Comment
Legislative pressures
Customer service counter	17.0			Health & Safety
Service improvement
Customer services foyer	30.0			IWC’s public face
Marriage room refurbishment	10.0			Income potential
Travel/expenses system upgrade	21.0	10.5	10.5	Efficiency

Items flagged up for the future, but not quantified at this stage:

· e-procurement (part of e-Government project) · Call centre (part of e-Government project)

· Payroll/personnel system upgrade · Sandown telephone exchange