Agenda and draft minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on Tuedsay 5 June 2018 were accepted as a true record and were signed by the Chairman.

The report of the Executive Manager – Transformation and Operations.

The Executive Manager – Transformation and Operations presented a report which provided the Group with an update on the work that had been undertaken regarding the digitising of various services across the Council and on the future objectives for the digital by design programme.

The Executive Manager advised that prior to 2014 the Council had encouraged residents to move towards online or email to access the Council’s services and it was noted that the ‘channel shift’ from face to face to online services was then rebranded as ‘digital by default’ from 2014 – 2017. This further initiative had seen the development of e-forms and the implementation of Hybrid Mail which allowed documents to be sent remotely, which in turn released capacity for the Business Support Unit team to complete more complex tasks. It was also noted that although the majority of residents had contacted the Rushcliffe Contact Community Centre through face to face or telephone channels there had been an increase in email communication and online transactions since the implementation of the digital by default initiative in 2014.

The Executive Manager noted that the digitisation agenda was now referred to as ‘digital by design’ which aimed to maximise the use of technology designed into the service provision. 

The Executive Manager and the ICT Manager delivered a presentation to the Group which outlined:

·       Pre 2018 Web Update

·       The 2015 – 2017 Customer Access Strategy

·       External Validations of the website

·       Competitive results from Nottinghamshire Districts

·       Statistics about current website usage

·       Digital by Design 2018 Onwards

Members of the Group asked several specific questions regarding face to face services and whether the Council was continuing to improve face to face customer services as well as digital accessibility. The Executive Manager noted that services were still available for residents who visited the Rushcliffe Community Contact Centre and contact points and that there were now additional office staff from departments such as licensing, planning, revenues and benefits who were able to assist residents face to face on the more complex enquiries which were more difficult to resolve online.

Members of the Group also asked questions regarding online services available for residents. The Executive Manager confirmed that each resident would have access to an account online which would enable them to access all online services such as council tax, planning applications and benefit claim forms. Members of the Group also raised concerns over the verification of identification documents if residents were given the option to scan and send them online. The ICT Manager assured the Group that the systems in place would require a secondary verification. The Group asked to be provided with additional information regarding fraud prevention and identification verification. The Group were also informed that procedures were in place for business continuity if the Council’s online systems were to stop working efficiently.

The Group requested that the grass cutting calendar to be placed online for residents to refer to, as as ward members they received many enquiries about grass cutting. The Executive Manager –  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

The report of the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods.

The Environmental Health Manager presented the report of the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods which provided the Group with an update of the work undertaken by the Council and its partners to reduce the use of single use plastics. It was noted that since it was resolved on the 7 December for the Council to tackle its use of single use plastics an updated action plan had been completed which identified the detailed tasks across four theme areas:

a)    Audit of the single use plastic currently used across the Council in normal council activities

b)    Identifying ways of seeking support from key partners and contractors to encourage them to commit to support similar actions

c)     Run relevant communications and campaigns to influence and challenge behaviour of residents and businesses in the Borough on these issues

d)    Identify how we prohibit the use of lanterns and helium balloons in Council assets and parks following good practice from other agencies such as Nottinghamshire County Council

The Environmental Health Manager delivered a presentation to the Group which covered:

·       The Council Motion

·       The Action Plan

·       Refill Rushcliffe

·       What’s Next

Members of the Group raised concerns as a result of their visit to Veolia Materials Recovery Facility regarding the types of plastic that the facility could process for recycling. Members of the Group advised that while they were aware that the Borough Council was not responsible for the recycling contract it was suggested that Nottinghamshire County Council should look again their recycling contract with Veolia to ensure it was fit for purpose. Members of the Group requested that a letter be sent to Nottinghamshire County Council which expressed their concerns which had arisen during their visit to the Veolia Materials Recovery Facility.

Members of the Group were pleased with the implementation of Refill Rushcliffe scheme which allowed residents to refill their reusable water bottles for free from different businesses and facilities within the Borough. The Group were informed that posters had been placed in windows to inform residents where they would be able to refill their water bottles and that the Council were hoping to target rural areas within the Borough with the initiative.  

The Group were informed by the Principal Community Development Officer that the Council had stopped purchasing balloons for events such as Lark in the Park and that traders were discouraged to use single use plastics. It was suggested that the Council should write to supermarkets to discourage them from selling balloons. The Executive Manager – Communities noted that national supermarkets were taking action on the national agenda to reduce single use plastics and that it was instead the Borough Council’s aim to tackle single use plastics by influencing local businesses and residents.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    the report of the Executive Manager – Neighbourhoods be noted.

b)    a letter be sent to Nottinghamshire County Council expressing the concerns of the Group their regarding the input specification for Veolia Materials Recovery Facility.

The report of the Executive Manager – Communities.

The Principal Community Development Officer presented the report of the Executive Manager – Communities that provided the Group with an overview of Diversity of Rushcliffe and its impact on service delivery. It was noted that the Equality Act 2010 had challenged Local Government organisations to know how age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage, civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion/belief, sex and sexual orientation influenced local communities both individually and collectively. It was also was noted that the Equality Framework for Local Government comprised of five performance areas:

·       Knowing your communities

·       Leadership, partnership and organisation commitment

·       Involving your communities

·       Responsive services and customer care

·       A skilled and committed workforce

The Health Development Officer delivered a presentation to the Group which focused on the ‘knowing your communities’ section of the equality framework. The presentation also highlighted the Council’s actions to address health inequalities within the Borough. The presentation covered:

·       Knowing your communities data

·       Mosaic Groups in Rushcliffe

·       Indices of Multiple Deprivation

·       Child Poverty

·       Health Determinants

·       Health Profile

·       Lifestyle Behaviour

·       Health inequalities

·       Health Priorities

·       Health Ambitions

·       Dementia

·       Recommendations

Following the presentation the Group raised suggestions of subjects for further investigation such as child obesity, dementia and mental health. It was noted that although the diversity of the Council’s workforce was scrutinised at Performance Management Board the Group wanted to know about the Borough’s local communities and how the Council could engage with isolated communities. The Principal Community Development Officer advised the Group to visit the Nottinghamshire Insight website which helped the Council identify the communities most in need. The Executive Manager – Communities noted that funding was disappearing for small community groups and the Group suggested that they could use funds from their community support scheme grant to support minority groups within the Borough. The Group also asked several specific questions regarding the Rushcliffe Respectful Relations document.

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    the report of the Executive Manager – Communities be noted.

b)    the Group be provided with a further report covering dementia and mental health.

The report of the Executive Manager – Finance and Corporate Services.

The Executive Manager – Communities presented the report of the Executive Manager - Finance and Corporate Services requesting the Group considered it’s Work Programme. It was agreed that the Group would receive a report regarding the Council’s draft empty property strategy before being considered by Cabinet.

The Group asked questions regarding the funds raised from the disposal of the Borough Art Collection of £15,000. The Executive Manager noted that a sculpture had been considered but that no designs had yet been accepted.

It was RESOLVED that the work programme as detailed below be approved.

20 November 2018

·         Rural Broadband Update

·         Armed Forces Community Covenant

·         Draft Empty Property Strategy

·         Work Programme

26 February 2018

·         Tree Protection and Promotion in Rushcliffe Update

·         Diversity in Rushcliffe

·         Work Programme

Action Sheet

Community Development Group – Tuesday 18 September 2018