The Head of Corporate and
Community Services presented the Committee with an update on phase
2 of the 21:21 project.
He advised the Committee of the
following:
- The
21:21 project centred on one of the two corporate priorities and
Service Improvement.
- Within this there were four original themes of Leaning and
Transformation of Services, One Site, Income Generation, and Waste
and Recycling.
- The
‘One Site’ works had now freed up the Castle Street
property which was now being utilised to house those in need of
temporary accommodation. This, in turn,
had positive financial implications as it has reduced the need for
provision of accommodation in properties such as the Premier Inn,
therefore reducing costs.
- The future aim was
to move more staff to BEC although this was limited due to
constraints on the building and parking areas. It was hoped that the improvements to the ICT
systems, by enabling remote/flexible working could free-up office
and car-parking spaces.
- Two years had
passed since the trials of the new Waste and Recycling scheme were
introduced. The trials had been successful, with the recycling
rates reaching over 50% within parts of the trial area. The next challenge would be the decision regarding
whether the changes be rolled out across the area, and how this
would be done.
- If the scheme was
rolled out there would be a requirement for investment in new plant
as the current equipment was working at capacity and the increase
in recycling could not be accommodated without improved
infrastructure.
- The recycling
rounds had been remodelled by our own staff since the software had
been purchased to enable this. They
would be looking to remodel the black and green waste rounds.
- The Waste and
recycling staff had worked three consecutive Saturdays to deal with
the timing of the bank holidays over the Christmas period.
- As part of the
Leaning and Transformation of Services, a huge amount of work had
been done by the ICT team. Many new systems had been implemented
which had also been accompanied by procedural changes.
- New ICT systems
included new systems for Planning, Legal, Environmental Health and
Housing, Customer Services (Firmstep),
Corporate and Community Services (Modern Gov) and new desk-top solutions and telephony
throughout the authority.
-
Firmstep had been upgraded and could now facilitate
further services online, including the application for temporary
event licences.
·
The Council had purchased four properties which would be used by
the Environmental Health and Housing team to house those in need of
temporary accommodation. Although this
would not generate income, each property would enable savings
against current costs of £20k per year for each family
housed. The Authority received the Housing Benefit subsidy for
these properties.
·
The Authority would need to look at opportunities for future income
generation and to look to become more commercial.
·
Plastic Free North Devon Council had been included in the 21:21
project. The Council had been aware that there were many
organisations in the area working towards the same goal, but were
not working together. The Council created the Plastic Free
Consortium to enable closer working and a more organised approach
to the work. The Consortium had
recently met and signed their Plastic-Free Strategy.
·
Housing Projects had been added to the 21:21 project as a theme.
This included Civil Sanctions for Housing, Selective Licensing and
a Rough Sleeper Programme.
·
There were a number of corporate projects ongoing. These included
the New Leisure Centre, Ilfracombe Water-sports Centre and the
Museum project.
In response to
questions from the Committee, the Head of Resources confirmed
that:
- It was likely that
more projects would be added to the 21:21 project in future,
however, depending on the works involved some may form part of the
Growth Agenda.
- The theatres would
be under the management of the new company, Selladoor Worldwide, with effect from 12 January
2019. The new company were looking to develop the businesses and
the facilities at the Landmark.
- Parkwood had not
retained the contract and the new company’s bid was
successful.
- Although many
years ago the subsidy to the Theatres’ Trust had been higher,
the figures had reduced to the current figure of £140,000 per
annum. The new arrangements differed to
those previously in place.
- The level of rents
charged on the temporary accommodation properties were set in
accordance with the Housing Benefit allowance and were not at
market rates. He added that these were
very short-term tenancies and families were moved to more permanent
dwellings as soon as it was possible.
- An updated
Corporate Risk Register would be available in March 2019.
In response to
questions from the Committee, the Chief Executive confirmed that
resources would be distributed as required. There was now a more flexible approach to work in
that he had facilitated the provision of four extra staff to waste
and Recycling during the start of the service changes, but that now
one staff member had been moved to a different role as
needed. He felt that a more flexible
approach enabled this to be done as priorities change.
RESOLVED that the update be noted.