Agenda item

To receive a report of the Head of Governance Services and Scrutiny Support presenting draft terms of reference for the Board’s forthcoming inquiry into reducing repeat customer contacts through tackling failure demand. The Board will also receive a presentation in line with session 1 of the inquiry.

The report of the Head of Governance Services and Scrutiny Support presented draft terms of reference relating to the Board’s forthcoming inquiry into reducing repeat customer contacts through tackling failure demand. 

The Board also received a presentation on the key areas set out in accordance with session one of the inquiry.  These included:

Ø  The general determinants of service failure and the key factors that contribute to receiving repeat customer contact (focusing on policy, people, process and information).

Ø  The extent to which customer services can implement solutions that help identify customers who repeatedly contact the council due to service failure with the aim of mitigating the impact on their health and wellbeing.

The following were in attendance for this item:

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

·  Councillor Debra Coupar, Executive Member for Communities

·  Adam Quesne, Head of Customer Contact

·  Wendy Allinson, Citizens@Leeds Development Team Lead

The key areas of discussion were as follows:

·  Escalating cases - Board Members identified the need to explore the existing mechanisms in place for Elected Members to escalate particular cases to senior staff, including during out of hours, and agreed to incorporate this into the terms of reference for this inquiry.

·  Priority areas for investigation – Members acknowledged the 3 key service areas that generate the greatest volume of calls and also failure demand (Housing, Council Tax and Benefits).  It was noted that these would be considered in greater detail during future inquiry sessions.

·  Cost analysis of failure demand - Members were pleased to note that work is underway to pull together case study evidence to demonstrate reasons for failure demand in particular service areas along with the associated costs to the Contact Centre.  It was requested that this information also be made available as part of this inquiry.

·  Examples of joined up working – Members requested examples of previous joined up working initiatives between Customer Services and the 3 specific service areas which had led to improved outcomes for customers.

·  Geographical intelligence – Members queried the extent to which data analysis is undertaken by the Contact Centre to establish potential variances in service across the city which could assist in identifying solutions with the relevant service areas.  It was agreed that this would be explored further with the specific service areas as part of the future inquiry sessions.

·  General data analysis – Members acknowledged that whilst the Contact Centre is data rich, it lacks the analytical ability to turn that data into intelligence to assist in longer term planning.

·  Examples of letters to customers – in acknowledging that repeat calls often stem from customers receiving confusing information, Members requested that examples of letters sent to customers are considered as part of the future inquiry sessions.

 RESOLVED -

(a)  That the draft terms of reference for the Board’s Inquiry into reducing repeat customer contact through tackling failure demand be approved, subject to the amendment set out above.

(b)  That the additional information requested by the Board, as set out above, is considered as part of the future inquiry sessions.