Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendation, with the following additions:

(2)       That in relation to key policy and service decisions, including any changes to services, that reports include Service User Perspectives on the outcomes currently being delivered; and

(3)       That the recommendation that an annual survey of resident be undertaken is considered at the same time as a forthcoming report on a national survey of residents being proposed by the WLGA.

Councillor Thomas introduced the report which provided details on the Service User Perspective and Outcomes audit.

It was a national study and Audit Wales undertook this work at Flintshire County Council during July and September 2023 and the report was issued in December 2023.

The audit sought to:

• Gain assurance that the performance information the Council provides to senior officers and elected members enables them to understand the service user perspective and the outcome of its activities;
• Gain assurance that this information forms part of the Council’s arrangements to secure value for money in the use of its resources and its application of the

sustainable development principle; and

• Identify opportunities for the Council to strengthen its arrangements.

The Chief Officer (Governance) explained that no formal recommendations were identified and three recommendations for improvement had arisen from this audit, with the Council providing a planned action in response to the recommendations for improvement.  He added that the Council had already started work on what had been recommended in the action plan and referred to examples of stakeholder and customer feedback being included in Cabinet reports. 

The report had been submitted to Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee which recommended that “'In relation to key policy and service decisions, including any changes to services, that reports include Service User Perspectives on the outcomes currently being delivered”. And, “That Cabinet considers and annual survey of service users to be captured with the issuing of Council Tax bills.”

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Council’s planned action in response to the recommendations for improvement be endorsed;

(b)       That in relation to key policy and service decisions, including any changes to services, that reports include Service User Perspectives on the outcomes currently being delivered; and

(c)        That the recommendation that an annual survey of residents be undertaken is considered at the same time as a forthcoming report on a national survey of residents being proposed by the WLGA.