Issue - meetings

(a)       That the key points arising from January’s briefing for Elected Members on the development of online functionality for customer be noted; and

(b)       That the design principles and programme for the delivery of the Digital Strategy be approved.

                        The Chief Executive introduced a report to provide an update on progress to define and deliver the Digital Strategy and a summary of discussion in the recent Digital Strategy workshop with Members.  He referred to the main considerations, as detailed in the report, and explained that to ensure standards were consistent in the way projects were designed and services modernised, a number of design principles had been agreed.  All projects would be evaluated at the design stage to ensure they would help the Authority to move consistently forwards against the core principles detailed in the report.

                        The Chief Executive advised that in working with portfolios, the Digital Customer Programme Manager also created a combined digital programme plan as the baseline for delivery; consolidating a number of previously standalone plans.  This digital programme contained the essential works which needed to be resourced before the Authority could consider making further choices around priorities.  A governance framework had also been developed which would be used to manage requests submitted for changes to the programme.  As discussed in the briefing with Members on 16 January, the programme and framework would translate into a range of specific capabilities which would allow customers to access a growing range of services and information online.

Councillor Tudor Jones asked that consideration be given to elderly and vulnerable customers who either did not have access to online services or did not have the confidence or skills to self-serve online.   He expressed concerns that due to the increasing trend towards providing online services people may become excluded or their lives become difficult if they experience problems using online services in the future.  The Chief Executive gave an assurance that telephone and face-to-face customer access would continue and agreed to explore the options for home visits to be undertaken in exceptional personal circumstances.

The Chief Executive offered an interactive Member workshop on the Member ward-based information portal, when available, which was welcomed by the Committee.

The Chair suggested that consideration be given to providing a range of general e-mail contact addresses for the Authority’s services on the web so that customers did not have to search for individual officer e-mail addresses to make contact.

During discussion the Chief Executive responded to the further questions from Members on the proposal to capture electronic signatures using mobile devices to allow services to be completed at the first point of contact, and the introduction of data mastering principles to provide better flexibility to design business processes across portfolios and partners.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the key points arising from January’s briefing for Elected Members on the development of online functionality for customer be noted; and

(b)       That the design principles and programme for the delivery of the Digital Strategy be approved.