Issue details

To provide an update on the progress of the work being undertaken by officers, under the guidance of the Vanguard Consultancy, to review systems and to improve the experience of customers when they make contact with the Council.

The second phase of implementing the Vanguard method is nearing completion. This has focused on detailed interventions into housing repairs, car parking, benefits, planning applications and recruitment.

Significant lessons have been learnt from each intervention and new ways of working are being implemented, resulting in a more responsive, customer focused approach. Solutions are being tailored to meet the needs of individual customers and meaningful measures are being put in place to enable the effective management of each service.

As a result of new ways of working, the average time to process a benefit application has fallen from 20 days to 6 days. The number of “challenges” to parking penalty charge notices has fallen by 50% and the average time to process a planning application has fallen from 56 to 36 days. The average time to fix a repair to a Council property has dramatically fallen from 89 days to 6 days. The new approach to recruitment is resulting in an improved range of candidates.

These figures are being achieved because officers are seeking to reduce “preventable” demand by solving problems quickly at the first point of contact. Customers are indicating high levels of satisfaction with the new ways of working and officers feel more empowered to solve problems.

Work has now commenced on the next phase, with interventions commencing in tenancy services, environmental health and strategic housing.