Issue - meetings

The Chairman introduced this item and officers explained to the Board that this was the 12 month Review of the Improving Residents’ Satisfaction Task Group.  The report was for information and it was at the discretion of the Board to consider whether to take any further action on the progress of the recommendations from the Task Group.

Members enquired how satisfaction of residents’ was measured.  Officers explained that previously it had been through the Place Survey and performance indicators; however, this was no longer a statutory requirement for the Council.  Therefore officers were currently exploring other means of monitoring residents’ satisfaction.  The Board had received an update on this at the meeting held on 5th April 2011.

The Board also discussed staff morale and how this was monitored.  Officers informed Members that the Chief Executive regularly held staff forums and drop in sessions and had extended an invitation to each member of staff to speak to him individually about any particular concerns they had within the organisation.  Heads of Services also updated staff regularly to try and ensure that concerns were addressed wherever possible.  Officers conceded that it was difficult to monitor the success of this and advised Members that although positive feedback was received there had been occasions when points had been raised by staff which had been overlooked by the management team and these were taken on board.  Members discussed what effect, if any, this had on sickness absence and whether this was also monitored.  Officers informed Members that this was monitored both by the Cabinet and the management team and there was a process in place for managing that absence when the member of staff returned to work.

The Board discussed the decision to defer the internal assessment against the Customer Service Excellence accreditation and confirmed that this should remain on the Board’s Quarterly Recommendation Tracker.

RECOMMENDED that sickness absence be included as part of the performance information that the Board received on a regular basis.

RESOLVED that the 12 month Review of the Improving Residents’ Satisfaction Task Group be noted.