Agenda item

To receive a report from the Director of Strategy and Resources setting out details on the Council’s Being Our Best Organisation Plan refresh.

(Please note Appendices 1 and 2 to follow as a supplementary items)

The Board considered a report from the Director of Strategy and Resources setting out details on the Council’s Being Our Best Organisation Plan refresh.

In attendance for this item were:

·  Cllr Debra Coupar, Executive Member for Resources

·  Mariana Pexton, Director of Strategy and Resources

·  Alexandra McEwan-Hannant, Head of Corporate Support

To introduce the item the Board received a presentation which covered the following key points:

·  The Best City Ambition is the overall vision for the future of Leeds, with the key mission to tackle poverty and inequality and to improve the quality of life for all residents in the city. The Being Our Best Organisation Plan is the Council’s response to the Best City Ambition.

·  The Team Leeds ethos is based on credible, trusted leadership and clear shared values underpinning delivery.

·  The key principles of the approach focus on partnership working, including around prevention, community power, a strengths-based approach, and being led by the evidence.

·  The key themes of the Being Our Best Organisation Plan are being a well-run organisation, delivering high quality public services and leading a growing and inclusive city.

·  The key challenges faced by the authority around finance, service demand, cost of living and pressures on workforce.

·  Key ambitions for the organisation include being more integrated on the frontline, having more integrated support services, trading where it makes sense to do so, developing a proactive approach to workforce planning, making more efficient use of shared assets such as buildings and fleet and whilst being smaller in size becoming bigger in influence to deliver the city and council ambitions.

·  The aim to be more financial efficient by taking a longer-term approach to savings plans and budget planning, improving procurement, maximising income and developing clear workforce plans and enhanced working with partners such as the third sector.

Responding to comments and questions the following areas were discussed:

·  Members asked about timescales for responses to queries from members which are almost exclusively on behalf of residents. A concern being that sometimes responses take too long and occasionally it requires contact with a line manager to get a response. In response members heard that work is underway to develop the customer strategy in recognition of some of the issues raised. This includes the use of digital solutions such as a possible new customer relations management system which would assist with work prioritisation and casework management. There are challenges around the size of the organisation and the many different services that are provided by the authority.

·  The Executive Board Member for Resources noted that there is a ten-day response period to elected members but that if there are specific issues with services then contact should be made with the Executive Member to discuss and seek a resolution.

·  A query was also raised about notification of when casework related tasks have been completed and it was noted that this could be picked up through discussion with the Executive Board Member.

·  In terms of wider context, the Board were informed that the organisation has gone through a significant reduction in staffing levels, linked to budget challenges, which has had a consequent impact on workloads and the need for officers to pick up additional tasks.

·  The Board highlighted that there are now a number of members specific casework channels for frequently used services which prioritise elected member casework enquiries.

Resolved

The Board:

a)  Noted the updated Being Our Best – our organisation plan 2024/25, that also responds to the UK Government Productivity Plan requirements.

b)  Noted that the Being Our Best Organisation Plan will be considered by Executive Board on 24 July 2024.

c)  Noted that graphic design work will be developed prior to publication of the updated Being Our Best – our organisation plan 2024/25 in August 2024, which may include some amendments to wording.