Agenda item

To receive an update report from the Chief Officer Customer Access on the delivery of the Community Hubs programme.

The report of the Chief Officer Customer Access provided an update on the delivery of the Community Hubs programme at the request of the Scrutiny Board.

The following were in attendance for this item:

·  James Rogers, Assistant Chief Executive (Citizens and Communities)

·  Councillor Debra Coupar, Executive Member for Communities

·  Susan Murray, Head of Customer Contact, Customer Services

The key issues raised were as follows:

·  The Board was very pleased to note the positive feedback from two external assessments of the Community Hubs (The Matrix Assessment and the Customer Service Excellence Accreditation).

·  Members discussed the range of services being monitored by Community Hubs as key indicators of success.

·  Particular reference was made to the numbers of individuals being assisted into work through the Community Hub Job Shops (it was noted that 394 individuals had been assisted into work during October 2016).

·  The Board acknowledged the continual efforts of the Council to develop real integration with a wide range of services and partners, with particular reference made to the ongoing success of the Money Buddies initiative.

·  A member of the Board made reference to a utility company (Yorkshire Water) who had recently stated on their bills that customers who are not connected to service water drainage could be eligible for a rebate.  As the onus was placed on the customer to apply for this rebate, this was highlighted as an example where Customer Service Officers could proactively prompt and assist eligible customers in applying for this saving.

·  The Board noted the existing progress in relation to Phase 2 of the programme.

·  In particular, the Board acknowledged the updated position in relation to Horsforth Museum following the Board’s previous discussions during the Call In meeting in July 2016.

·  The Board was pleased to note that all the Hubs had seen an increase in residents using the buildings, with particular figures cited for the 5 new Community Hubs in Kippax, Pudsey, Rothwell, Horsforth and Moor Allerton.  However, particular clarification was sought on whether the recent success of the new Kippax Hub (with a 95% increase in people using the building) was having an effect on the numbers of people accessing neighbouring services based in Garforth.

·  The Board was pleased to learn that Community Hub and One Stop Centre staff had already undertaken Dementia Friendly training and that this will also be rolled out to Library staff.

·  Reference was made to the current progress on developing Phase 3 of the programme, with the intention of producing a Business Case by Spring 2017. It was therefore agreed that the Scrutiny Board would receive a further update report early in the New Year to help inform the development of this Business Case.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the report be noted.

(b)  That the Scrutiny Board receives a further update report in relation to the development of the Phase 3 Programme Business Case early in the New Year.

(Councillor J Illingworth arrived to the meeting at 10.20 am during the consideration of this item)