Agenda item

Members will recall that O & S had requested that Portfolio Holders present their Business Plans at the last meeting of the year, in readiness for the new Municipal year, to each Select Committee. 

It was sensible for the Business Plans to be presented to the relevant Select Committee, where there would be better alignment.  This way the Select Committees would have time to undertake a more in-depth scrutiny role regarding the numerous services which make up their Select Committees. 

On this basis, the relevant Portfolio Holders are requested to attend this meeting and take the Select Committee through their plans for the coming year.

Technology and Support Services Portfolio

Councillor Lion the Technology and Support Services Portfolio holder gave a short presentation of his portfolio’s business plan for 2018/19.

The Committee noted that the central support functions of Facilities Management, ICT and the People Team supported the Council and underpinned the Corporate Plan and the drive to be fit for the 21^st century. Their support was provided to all Council services and enabled both internal and external transformation and especially provided support for the front line services in the form of mobile working.

The accommodation strategy would still go ahead as the building still had to be changed and this would still happen in some guise. ICT had developed a strategic plan to enable home and remote working. They were also improving network flexibility and security and providing equipment to meet business needs such as laptops, tablets and smart phones.

Facilities Management were reviewing the buildings, car parks and building facilities and would also be reviewing and delivering the planned maintenance programme.

The Peoples Team had a number of key objectives, they were to establish a common operating model by 31 August 2018, complete a review of business support for implementation from 1 April 2019 and complete a review of pay and terms and conditions by 31 March 2019.

The council was also involved with the West Essex and Eastern Hertfordshire Digital Innovation Zone (DIZ). Epping Forest DC had agreed to coordinate a joint response as part of the DIZ programme. The aim of DIZ was to roll out superfast broadband to be one of the best connected places to live, work, study and do business. £7.5 million was made available by the government three years ago of which £84k was for EFDC investment.

Councillor Patel noted that IT underpinned the whole transformation programme. He went on ask for a staffing structure of the council so that members could see who did what. It would also be interesting to see it evolve and the changes made over the coming years. Councillor Lion said that he could get officers to produce a list and bring it to the next meeting.

Councillor Patel said that it had been helpful to have a presentation on this. Councillor Lion said that a presentation would also be going to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Finance Portfolio

Councillor Mohindra the Finance Portfolio holder spoke to his business plan for 2018/19. He noted that the Resources Directorate was a mix of support and frontline services. The support came from accountancy that supported all council services. On the front line were benefits and revenues.

Accounts had to prepare the budget in a very tight timeline for mid-February adoption. He thanked members of the Committee for attending the joint budget meeting with the Cabinet Finance Committee.

He noted that we had one of the best accounts sections in Essex and that we had very good finances as a council.

The Benefits section was looking to improve processing times by 31 March 2019; they also provided assistance to claimants moving on to Universal Credit; they were presently rolling out the first stage of the scheme but he noted that the government were now not charging ahead with the universal credit scheme and we were awaiting developments.

Further self service options for businesses and residents were being rolled out to improve customer experience and increase back office efficiency by 31 March 2019.

They were also looking to procure and implement a new Sundry Debts Scheme system by 31 December 2018.

His Portfolio continued to improve and he had no issues to report.

RESOLVED:

That the Resources Select Committee noted the Resource Directorates Business Plan for 2018-2019.