Agenda item

An update in relation to Members’ questions on the Council’s Agile Working was provided. The responses were provided in the briefing note. The following additional queries were raised at the meeting:

1)    Review of the title ‘Agile working’ as it might be misconstrued as in project management terms it was a way of implementing large projects. Officers undertook to review the title as the initiative was important for recruitment and retention.

It was asked whether space utilisation exercise was being undertaken on a regular basis to identify issues such as double-booking of hot desk spaces within Council Offices and/or under-utilisation of shared space. The Executive Director undertook to ascertain whether space utilisation checks were being carried out by the Agile Project Team in relation to the hot desking booking system.

The Interim Executive Director explained that the Agile Project Team had a Project Manager who reported to the Agile Board. The Board was chaired by the Council’s Chief Executive. It was noted that the majority of office-based staff at the Council were signed up to agile working arrangements. It was highlighted that some staff were required to be available on site during all contracted hours due to the nature of their jobs. This applied for example to refuse collectors or staff employed at the depot. In general, service requirements took priority over agile arrangements so, when necessary, working patterns were adjusted to suit service requirements. Members requested that they be provided with quantitative data on the take up (number and proportion of staff) of agile working across the Council.

2)    Investigate the possibility of introducing a follow up to measure satisfaction with customers’ interaction with services. For example, a form of trustpilot-style of providing feedback when customers interact with service areas.

A Member commented that the Council needed to be able to measure Members’ satisfaction with responsiveness of service areas to elected member enquiries. A question was asked concerning why the Council used a survey company to create a pilot survey for customers. It was responded that surveys produced by the Council in house generally had low response rates; a survey company would offer expertise that was hoped would result in greater engagement with this pilot. Members requested that details with regard to the cost of engaging survey company be provided.

3)    Progress on increasing responsiveness of officers to member enquiries and what progress had been made in looking at this issue so far by the project team.

It was noted that the ‘Best Practice for Handling Member Enquiries’ document, as presented under item 3 (Minute No. 100/23), was endorsed by the Board. This document provided details of the process which would be followed when Members raise complaints / compliments in relation to officer responsiveness.

In summary, the following information was requested by Members:

• Whether a space utilisation exercise was being carried out periodically to determine the effectiveness of hot desking;
• Number and proportion of overall Council staff that had taken up agile working;
• The cost of engaging a survey company to work on creating a pilot for capturing residents’ feedback.

RESOLVED that the update be noted.