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Agenda Item No. 5

 

THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL

 

CORPORATE PERFORMANCE AND RESOURCES SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: 25 JANUARY 2018

 

REFERENCE FROM CABINET: 18 DECEMBER 2017

 

C177         Reshaping Services Programme - Update on Implementation (L) (Scrutiny Committee - Corporate Performance and Resources) –

 

Cabinet was provided with an update on the progress of the Reshaping Services Programme.

Cabinet approved the Reshaping Services strategy on 3 November, 2014 and that report and strategy was referenced in the background papers to the report. The aim of the strategy was 'to reshape the Council to enable it to meet the future needs of citizens of the Vale of Glamorgan within the context of unprecedented financial

challenges.' The objectives were: 

  • To identify alternative ways of delivering services which provided better outcomes for citizens and/or more efficient means of delivery.
  • To meet the future financial challenges while mitigating the impact of cuts on service users.
  • To develop the Council and its partners to ensure they were able to meet future challenges.

As approved by Cabinet in January 2015, the Reshaping Services programme comprised three inter-related workstreams of projects as follows: 

  • Service Specific Workstream Projects
  • Corporate Workstream Projects
  • Programme Activity

The Reshaping Services programme undertook on-going reviews of Council services via a “challenge process”. Each service area across the Council was subject to challenge on a regular basis throughout the duration of the programme. Details of the process followed to identify the tranches of work to date could be found in the Reshaping Services Update report to Cabinet (July 2017) which was referenced in the background papers to the report.

 

The report described the progress that had been made by each of the projects to date. The programme board allocated a RAG status for each project at each meeting. This status (red, amber or green) showed the board's holistic assessment of the project in terms of its overall ability to achieve on time and to target. In reaching this status, the board considered the complexity of Reshaping Services projects and the impacts from a range of risks and issues. Each project's most recent status was shown below and detailed in the report. As projects developed business cases and other forms of proposals for change, these would be reported to Cabinet, Scrutiny Committees and Council for consideration and approval as appropriate. 

  • Additional Learning Needs (ALN) and Inclusion (Amber)
  • Catering (Amber)
  • Library Services (Green)
  • Transportation (Red)
  • Visible Services (Red)
  • ICT (Red)
  • Property Projects - Corporate Office Building Rationalisation and Cleaning & Security (Amber)
  • Social Services Budget Programme (Red)
  • Learning & Skills: Strategy and Resources (Amber)
  • Housing Services - Landlord Responsibilities (Green – Completed)
  • Building Services - Cleaning & Security Services (Red)
  • Corporate (Resources Directorate) Services (Amber)

The purpose of the Baseline Assessment Review undertaken between October and December 2016 was to identify projects that could form part of future tranches of the Reshaping Services Programme. The Council had identified a series of projects in this area which had savings targets identified for 2018/19 and 2019/20 as part of the current year’s budget proposals. These projects were shown below and detailed in the report as Tranche 3 future projects, with reporting and project governance arrangements via the Reshaping Services Programme Board having been established. 

  • Income Generation and Commercial Opportunities (Amber)
  • Digital Vale (Amber)
  • Procurement (Third Party Spend) (Amber)
  • Establishment Review (Amber)

The challenge group identified a series of opportunities that would benefit from a corporate-wide response and these were being progressed as corporate workstream projects. These initiatives were shown below and detailed in the report. 

  • Town and Community Councils (TCCs) and the Voluntary Sector (Amber)
  • Demand Management (Amber)
  • Effectiveness of Spend (Grants - Amber)

The third element of the Reshaping Services programme was the corporate arrangements that had been put in place to manage the programme and ensure its efficient delivery. The activity undertaken in supporting the programme was described below and detailed in the report. 

  • Programme Management (Green)
  • Organisational Development (Green)
  • Communication & Engagement (Green)

Consultation with Vale residents was undertaken during the development of the Reshaping Services strategy and the themes of the Programme were reflected in the consultation activities undertaken to support the development of the Council’s new Corporate Plan, the Council's annual budget and the most recent Public Opinion Survey.

 

This was a matter for Executive decision

 

Cabinet, having considered the report and all the issues and implications contained therein

 

RESOLVED –

 

(1)       T H A T the contents of the report be noted.

 

(2)       T H A T the report be referred to the Corporate Performance & Resources Scrutiny Committee for their consideration, with particular emphasis on the administration and implementation of the programme.

 

(3)       T H A T a copy of the report be sent to all elected Members, Clerks of Town and Community Councils, members of the Voluntary Sector Joint Liaison Committee, Community Liaison Committee and the Public Services Board for information and in order to provide an update on the progress being made on the Reshaping Services Programme.

 

(4)       T H A T the detailed service reviews described in the report be reported back as required to Cabinet for approval prior to implementation.

 

(5)       T H A T quarterly progress reports continue to be brought to Cabinet to provide updates on the progress of the Reshaping Services programme.

 

Reasons for decisions

 

(1)       To provide an update on the progress of the Reshaping Services programme.

 

(2)       To provide the Corporate Performance & Resources Scrutiny Committee with an opportunity to consider the progress being made on the Reshaping Services Programme as lead Committee for the programme.

 

(3)       To provide these Committees, groups and the Public Services Board with an update on the progress being made on the Reshaping Services programme.

 

(4)       To ensure Cabinet approve any proposed changes resulting from Reshaping Services projects as appropriate.

 

(5)       To ensure Cabinet was kept informed of the progress being made on the programme.

 

 

Attached as Appendix – Report to Cabinet – 18 DECEMBER 2017