Agenda item

This is the annual report of Chief Digital and Information Officer to the Committee concerning the decision-making arrangements within the Integrated Digital Service (IDS) and provides assurances that these arrangements are up to date, fit for purpose, effectively communicated and routinely complied with.

The Chief Digital and Information Officer provided the annual report to the Committee concerning the decision-making arrangements within the Integrated Digital Service (IDS) and provided assurances that these arrangements are up to date, fit for purpose, effectively communicated and routinely complied with. The arrangements set out provide a framework for transparent and accountable decision making within IDS in accordance with the Council’s Corporate Governance Code and Framework.

The Lead Officer to the Committee informed the Members the report for Item 8 was carrying the wrong title and should be Update Report on Information and Digital Services Governance. However, the information within the report was correct.

The Deputy Chief and Information Officer was in attendance for this item and provided the Committee with the following information:

·  This was the first time Digital Services has used this statement of internal control and this would evolve and improve over time.

·  The report aimed to describe the new governance arrangements which have been established in the service over the last two years, through the Pre-Digital Board, Digital Board and Design Authority whose aims are to align the principles and strategies to look at priorities across the council.

·  Members were advised of a new tool called Daptiv which is used to plan and track delivery of all work being undertaken across IDS to understand capacity and demand management. This will provide information as to how the service is performing against capacity levels.

·  A Digital Academy has been established which focuses on the skills of employees and digital inclusion.

Responding to questions from Members the following information was provided:

·  It was noted that IDS are looking to augment the team with ‘off shoring’ which was not about outsourcing, but to bring in digital expertise to work alongside the development team on areas such as power apps and robotic automation. It was noted that in terms of reports to the Committee, language was important and rather than use jargon it would be better to describe what is to happen, so Members are fully briefed.

·  Information provided in paragraph 15 is reported in somewhere, but the officer needed more information as to where, and would feedback to the Committee.

·  Members were advised that the survey of internal control on page 50 looked at a number of internal controls across the council. Last years survey was in excess of 400 officers who were tier 4, 3, 2, 1 who are PO6 grade and above. It was noted that the process for this is currently ongoing, however, this was now only surveying 130 officers.

·  It was acknowledged that the service had gone through a big change over the last two years with a re-organisation and there were still posts to fill. It was the officers view that the changes would make the service better now the teams have started to be embedded. Members were advised that the move to the Cloud was to provide better security and business continuity. It was noted that eventually the Council would be web based for everything, but this would take time. The service was confident that the changes were robust enough to deliver a better service.

·  The Procurement Approval Meeting meets monthly and focuses on business applications and contracts which are coming to an end and whether contracts need renewing or there are resources within the council. Its focus is on value for money and planned contracts.

·  It was noted that prioritisation for projects was considered at the Pre-Digital Board and the Digital Board by very senior officers. The Committee requested information on how elected members fed into this process for prioritisation. The Committee were advised that this information would be brought back to the Committee. The Committee were also advised that a meeting was due to take place that afternoon with Digital Services Senior Leadership Team at which the Head of Internal Audit was due to attend to map out governance and one area being looked at was escalation routes to Corporate Leadership Team and Members. It was noted that this would be fed back to the Committee.

On the approval of the recommendations, it was noted that Cllr Flynn wished to abstain.

RESOLVED – To note the content of the report and the positive assurances set out in the IDS Statement of Internal Control attached as Appendix A to this report.