Priority outcomes and services
Service Delivery and Managing Change - a considerable success
The following are our guiding principles for development of ESD channels. They are principally about:
- Improving access to better quality services
- Improving value for money through greater operational efficiency and use of ICT
- Developing stronger and more direct relationships with customers
From Salford's perspective, it has been recognised that technology should be used to facilitate the provision of better services, attaining Modernising Government targets that are primarily focused on the needs and aspirations of our customers and community. A service, moreover, that improves over time.
Salford recognised early on that the transition to e-Services was ambitious and complex. There were many initiatives, programmes, processes, and stakeholder conflicts, which could undermine the vision. To be fully effective, it would need to act as a catalyst for change, and deliver integrated solutions.
Our step change approach to implementation, founded on a systematic business re-engineering programme, developed in conjunction with partners, has been endorsed. This is in order to maximise benefit for customers and government, and ensure that developments are fully integrated and sustainable.
Our methodology is outlined at Appendix 2 and our priority work programme, agreed with Cabinet and partners is outlined at part 6 of this report. Details of our citizen engagement and democratic accountability measures are included below.
Salford became an LGOL Pathfinder in 2001, and has been actively involved in helping others in the local government family to develop their e-change programmes using this methodology. The interest and take up of our Pathfinder offering was considerably above expectations, indicating that this is a key area for e-government developments.
As a Pathfinder authority to assist the wider local government family we:
- Hosted 15 visits
- Provided advice and support to 18 authorities
- Actively trained and mentored 5 authorities
- Participated in 10 regional / national dissemination events
Innovation in service delivery and outcomes - a culture of continuous improvement
The step change approach to implementation also takes account of customer preferences relating to their access methods. Examples of delivery outcomes include:
Our call centre, which is an almost entirely paperless operation, and has achieved significant and continuous performance improvements since inception. Examples include:
- Service response levels are 85% as at August 2002, compared with 71% last year
- Customer satisfaction levels are currently 93%, compared against 76% last year
- Staff job satisfaction levels are 97%, compared against 89% at January 2001
- The opening hours were recently extended to 6:30 p.m Monday to Friday with no increase in cost base
Other service developments
- A partnership with the Post Office and Paypoint to take over all cash collection arrangements, enabling wider community access to rent and bill payment arrangements.
- On-line access to personal Council Tax accounts and for bill payment are in live running
- A consortium project with a range of local authorities and a private sector partner to enable on-line debt recovery for the authority is now live
- Working with our European partners to develop and deliver an e-tendering product (PERMIS)
- Work with Supporting People Pathfinder Programme, facilitating implementation of an e-enabled charging system across a range of partners and providers, together with a Fairer Charging calculator to enable peripatetic staff to assess charges while on home visits and electronically transfer information
- Pilot home working which is producing productivity and work/balance benefits. It is proposed that this be extended this year
- Work with our foster carers and foster children to support them through ICT
Social Inclusion
Widespread support is also required in the local community and for that reason, there is a strong social inclusion and Community ICT programme, which has a number of innovative projects with significant benefits. These are linked to local community action plans, and local partner input.
The Salford Strategic Partnership (involving public, private and voluntary sector stakeholders) is also closely involved in developments, particularly to facilitate multi-agency ESD. Examples include (this is not an exhaustive list):
Our ICT in the community project, which has delivered a range of ICT outreach programme, is community outlets. The project has so far delivered over 10,500 hours of training to nearly 500 people. Training weeks achieved by the end of August was approximately 300, approximately double that in the programme
Outreach staff based in community outlets and libraries to promote ICT learning. In our community one stop shop for example, there have been 307 training sessions for a total of 427 hours in 2002 alone.
In the two years since the facility opened, 171 residents in a local deprived area have benefited from one-to-one training.
A mobile computer bus is taken to local areas to provide basic ICT training and is proving to be very successful.
| Innovative developments that enable Salford community and voluntary groups to build and maintain their own web sites without needing ICT skills. This enables skills development and community capacity building, whilst local strengthening grassroots presence in cyberspace. |
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Democratic Accountability
Following the decision by the Council to adopt a Cabinet style of decision-making process, a review of the processes and systems was undertaken to ensure effective administration and means of engagement with citizens.
One of the key initiatives arising was the development and implementation of an application to provide access to council agendas, reports and decisions to aid communication and make the workings of the council more accountable and transparent.
The first stage was to rollout the system (named SOLAR) to members and officers during 2001/2, which is now being followed by new features to enable access via the internet by citizens and partners by Autumn 2003.
This page was last updated on 14 August 2003
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