Best Value Performance & Efficiency Sub-committee Of The Policy & Resources Committee - 27/06/2001
At a MEETING of the BEST VALUE SUB-COMMITTEE of the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 27th June, 2001.
Present:-
Councillors Robin PRESSWOOD (substituting for Councillor Julia Sturrock), Neil GLEN (substituting for Councillor Mervyn Rolfe), Councillor Joe FITZPATRICK (substituting for Councillor Allan Petrie), George REGAN, Dave BEATTIE and Rod WALLACE (substituting for Councillor Bruce Mackie).
Councillor Robin PRESSWOOD in the Chair.
Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.
I MANAGING THE WAITING LIST - BEST VALUE REVIEW 2000/2001
There was submitted Report No. 422-2001 by the Chief Executive reporting on the result of a Best Value Review into the Waiting List service provided by the Housing Department.
The Review accounted for 3.6% of the Department's revenue budget at a budget cost examined of 249,690.
The Sub-Committee approved the following proposals:-
(i)that a revised application form as approved by the Housing Department Management Team and the Dundee Federation of Tenant's Associations be introduced and that the direct input process follow the format of this revised form;
(ii)that in consultation with the Information Technology Department, a completed specification and timetable relating to the direct input of housing application data to the computer be produced and completed by end March 2001, it being noted that this recommendation contributes to the Information and Communications Technology strategy for the City;
(iii)that the Customer Satisfaction Survey on the waiting list be revised to more clearly identify the separate parts of the overall letting function;
(iv)that any recommendations outlined in the review of vetting paper be implemented; and
(v)that a computerised medical register be developed and implemented.
II BEST VALUE REVIEW OF GROUNDS MAINTENANCE
There was submitted Report No. 425-2001 by the Chief Executive reporting on the result of the Best Value Review into Grounds Maintenance carried out by the Leisure and Parks Department for the whole of the Council.
The Review accounted for 36% (4.77m) of the Department's gross revenue budget in 2001/02 and 100% of the total revenue expenditure reviewed by the Department this year.
The Sub-Committee approved the recommendations detailed in the Report noting those areas identified for continuous improvement in Section 13 of the Report.
III BEST VALUE REVIEW OF THE REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES SECTION 2000/2001
There was submitted Report No. 421-2001 by the Chief Executive reporting on the result of the Best Value Review of the service provided by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages Section of the Department of Support Services.
The Review accounted for 6% of the revenue budget of the Administration Division of the Support Services Department at a budget cost examined of 218,500 which represented 52% of expenditure reviewed in the Department in 2000/01.
The Sub-Committee noted those areas identified for continuous improvement identified in Section 13 of the Report and approved the following recommendations:-
(i)that the City Registrar improve the quality of core registration functions through better communication and joint initiatives with stakeholders, and also identify alternative Council premises that are suitable for conducting civil marriages, in conjunction with the Administration Manager and report to the Director of Support Services by December 2001;
(ii)that the City Registrar consult the public on an annual basis, in an effort to measure progress and achieve continuous improvement;
(iii)that the City Registrar formulate a strategy for developing and extending the genealogy service and report to the Director of Support Services by September 2001;
(iv)that the City Registrar and the Administration Manager meet with the Registrar General's Examiner at the end of each year to discuss his report, in an effort to achieve a target error rate of 3%;
(v)that the City Registrar investigates the possibility of applying for a Charter Mark for the Registration Section and report to the Director of Support Services by July 2001;
(vi)that the City Registrar investigates the feasibility of producing literature that conforms to Crystal Mark standard and report to the Director of Support Services by December 2001;
(vii)that the City Registrar, in conjunction with the Director of Finance, benchmarks with other Registration Authorities to measure and compare cost on an annual basis, investigate any changes to current performance and report to the Director of Support Services; and
(viii)that the City Registrar investigate possible qualification for heritage/tourism/lottery funding for the Genealogy Unit and report to the Director of Support Services by December 2001.
IV BEST VALUE REVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL RAPID RESPONSE TEAM
There was submitted Report No. 420-2001 by the Chief Executive reporting on the result of a Best Value Review into the pilot project to establish a Rapid Response Team. On 11th September 2000 this Sub-Committee approved a proposal to introduce a Rapid Response Team for a pilot period of six months.
The cost of implementing the recommendations accounted for 0.5% of the Environmental and Consumer Protection Department's revenue budget for 2001/02.
The Sub-Committee agreed that the Rapid Response Team be established on a permanent basis and that the proposals for continuous improvement outlined in Section 13 of the Report be implemented.
ROBIN PRESSWOOD, Convener.
APPENDIX II