Issue - meetings

That the pilot stages and next phase of the DRS testing before the Council moves into a fully functional and fully live DRS environment be noted.

The Service Manager (Housing Assets) introduced the report which provided an overview and update on the Dynamic Resource Scheduler (DRS) software, the changes made to the service during the pilot testing stages and the new measures implemented to improve overall customer satisfaction rates with regards to the service provided. 

            The Service Manager advised that the work outlined in the report was fully aligned and complementary to the work presently being undertaken to improve the online offer from the housing service, to make it easier and simpler for customers to diagnose faults and report repairs and support the preference from customers for a convenient appointments service to complete outstanding works.  The report also focused on what had been delivered to date and outlined the next phase of the DRS pilot.

Review meetings had taken place with the lead planner and the operatives currently working on the pilot.  The Service Manager reported that this had provided an opportunity to receive feedback on areas that had worked well and areas that required further improvements.

Councillor David Evans welcomed the report and said that he would be interested to see how the next phase of the DRS progressed.  He asked if this system was exclusively for the Housing portfolio of whether other portfolios could utilise the system.  The Service Manager explained that the system had been focused on the repairs and maintenance service, with a view to bringing in inspection appointments to the system at a later date.  He advised that the Streetscene portfolio had their own system but staff briefings/workshops to demonstrate the DRS system would be arranged for all portfolios across the Council.  

In response to a question from Councillor Linda Thew around contract costs, the Senior Manager said that the contract costs were provided in a previous report to the Committee but that he would extract and share with the Committee this information following the meeting.

The Cabinet Member thanked the officers for the report and said that tenants knowing when operatives would be visiting their properties to carry out repairs and maintenance was a positive improvement to the service.

The Chair suggested that a demonstration of the DRS be given to the Committee once the system has gone fully live.

The recommendation, as outlined within the report, was moved by Councillor Ted Palmer and seconded by Councillor David Evans.

RESOLVED:

That the pilot stages and next phase of the DRS testing before the Council moves into a fully functional and fully live DRS environment be noted.