Decision details

The Committee considered the decisions on the following matters arising from the Executive meeting held on 6 October 2020.

Minutes of the Executive – 16 September 2020

Noted.

Covid-19 Update

In response to a series of Members’ questions, officers advised:

·            The intention to publish material recording the contribution of black people to the life and growth of Stevenage was to mark Black History Month.  The Council would be inviting Councillor Michelle Gardner, amongst others, to inform and contribute to what would become a legacy document for the town; and

·            Black History Month was designed to recognise and celebrate the various contributions of black people, rather than the wider BAME community.  The Strategic Director (RP) was asked to provide Members with further information.

Workforce Strategy 2020 – 2023

In reply to a Member’s question regarding the meaning of the terms in the graphs set out in the Workforce Profile section of the Strategy, the Senior Human Resources Manager confirmed that “Customer” referred to those staff employed in the business units such as Communities & Neighbourhoods and Housing & Investment; “Place” to those staff employed in the business units such as Stevenage Direct Services and Planning & Regulation; and “Transformation and Support” to those staff employed in the business units such as Corporate Services, Finance & Estates and Digital & Transformation.  The Senior Human Resources Manager explained that these terms had arisen from the 2016 Senior Management Review.  She undertook to incorporate a key in the Strategy document to define these terms, and to supply Committee Members with a full written answer on this matter.

Corporate Performance – Quarter 1 2020/21

In reply to a number of Members’ questions and queries, officers commented:

·            The Strategic Director (TP) would request the Assistant Director (Housing Development) to respond to Longmeadow Ward Councillors with details of the draft newsletter regarding the Malvern Close element of the Kenilworth Close Development, if possible prior to it being sent to local residents;

·            The performance statistics for the time taken by the Customer Service Centre (CSC) had not been available for Quarter 1 due to the significant change of IT system for the CSC just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the subsequent re-direction of CSC focus towards the provision of services during the pandemic.  The statistics would be monitored for future Quarters; and

·            The presentation of the performance statistics relating to website satisfaction would be reviewed, as the figures bore no relation to a defined scale (such as a numerical figure or a percentage figure).  The Strategic Director (TP) stated that the figures related to the GovMetric system which measured satisfaction of the website.  He undertook to arrange for Committee Members to be provided with details of the performance system used by the Council, including its cost to the Council.

Hertfordshire Home Improvement Agency (HHIA) – 24 Month Review

Noted.

Council Tax Support Scheme 2020/21

Noted.