Agenda and decisions

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Jim Brown, Roni Hearn, John Mead, Sarah Mead and Sarah-Jane Potter.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the Community Select Committee held on 4 September 2018.

It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Community Select Committee meeting held on 4 September are agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider the Executive Member response to the Damp, Mould and Condensation Scrutiny Review.

The Committee received an update from the Corporate Investment and Design Manager and the Principal Design Manager, Stevenage Borough Council, on the current position in relation to the Damp and Mould Scrutiny Review.

The Committee was pleased to note that the focus for any reports and complaints was now the fundamental cause of the reported damp and mould issue and not just remedying the problem as and when it arose.

Officers advised that they were using a tracker to monitor progress for each individual case. Contact had now been made by Council officers with all those tenants who had previously reported problems. Members were also advised that following a reported problem, an initial inspection was now carried out within 3 weeks. The target for the completion of all works was 6 months although the majority of cases were completed a lot sooner.

It was RESOLVED that the update be noted and that officers be thanked for their attendance at the meeting.

Members are invited to interview the Digital Transformation Manager regarding the steps the Council is taking to make its services accessible via digital platforms and how residents will be able to interact with the Council in the future. Members are also invited to provide some feedback to the Committee on the areas that they have agreed to lead on and on the Resident meetings they have attended.

Digital Transformation

The Assistant Director Corporate Services and Transformation reported to Members on the steps the Council was taking to make its services accessible via digital platforms and how residents would be able to interact with the Council in the future.

It was noted that a new website provider had been appointed and would ensure that the new website would focus on better customer journeys and include more self-service and more self-assessment options. It was also hoped that by the end of next year customers would be able to access all their SBC accounts with a single sign on.

Councillor Rob Broom, Portfolio Holder Neighbourhoods and Co-operative Working advised that he had organised a member engagement group which would be involved in the web development project.

Members were also pleased to note that the Council’s Community Engagement Team would be promoting ‘internet clubs’ within community centres.

Resident Engagement

The Chair welcomed Les Isaacs – Customer Scrutiny Panel member and Jon Thurlow member of the Housing Management Advisory Board who gave their experiences of engagement with the Council on behalf of tenants and residents in the Town.

Members were pleased to note the positive feedback. Discussion then took place regarding ways the Council could engage differently with communities including social media, informal groups, time bound task and finish groups relating to individual services and engaging younger people to become IT champions.

Feedback from Members

It was agreed that due to several Members not in attendance, this part of the item be deferred until the next meeting of the Committee.

It was RESOLVED:

1.    That the feedback be noted;

2.    That updates from individual members be given at the next meeting of the Committee.

To consider any Part I business accepted by the Chair as urgent

None.

To consider the following motions:

1. That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the ground that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in paragraphs 1 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

2. That Members consider the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determine whether or not maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Not required.

To consider any Part II business accepted by the Chair as urgent

None.