Agenda item

Officers from ICT will be in attendance to provide an update on the Membersphere application.  Members will also receive an update on the self service portal Councillor Casebook.

Members received a verbal update from the ICT Digital Manager on the Membersphere application and the self service portal, Councillor Casebook.

Update on Membersphere

The ICT Digital Manager  outlined the original concept for Membersphere, providing a platform to store and share information, links and communication in one place . There had been some delays in getting to the current stage of development as a result of new Cabinet Office restrictions on PSN (Public Service Network). Once fully developed, it was intended to provide a fully operational Membersphere to all Councillors in time for newly elected Councillors in May 2015. Thereafter, a prototype would be offered to interested partners or businesses for commercial purposes.  The initial stages of development, however, were due to be completed by mid October 2014, at which point it would be available for user testing by Members.

Members acknowledged the importance of testing the application thoroughly and suggested testing with more reluctant users and those with specific needs. They agreed that in order for Membersphere to become the accepted method for sharing information, it was important to encourage its use by ensuring it was used as the main channel for putting out communications to Members.

Members stressed that the application must be accessible remotely and by those Members who only had a laptop (rather than tablet or smart phone). Officers advised that the application would be accessed through a tab on the internet browser. Dependent on demand, there was the possibility of creating an app to facilitate access using a tablet or smart phone.

It was agreed that testing of the functionality would be arranged over the forthcoming weeks and an update would be provided at a future meeting.

Update on Councillor Casebook

With regard to the self service portal Councillor Casebook (Lagan Lite), the ICT Digital Manager advised Members that the Council had withdrawn its commitment to Lagan as the Council’s Customer Relationship Management system (CRM) because it was no longer fit for purpose . A replacement was in the scope of the council’s new transformation programme, Rewiring Public Services, and shortlisting was already underway. As a result of the decision to withdraw from the current Lagan platform, the platform on which the new ‘Councillor Casebook’ would be built would have to change.  As a commitment to Members, it was intended to try to support the inclusion of the ‘Councillor Casebook’ element as one of the early deliverables of the new CRM. The revamped Council website would become the main priority however, targeted for April 2015.  

It was now unlikely therefore that the new embedded system for helping Members track reported cases in their wards would be in place in time for any new Members coming in in May 2015.

Resolved:  (i)      That the update on the Membersphere application be noted.

                   (ii)      That a further update on Membersphere be provided at the next meeting on 27 November 2014.

                   (iii)     That the update on the self service portal Councillor Casebook be noted.

Resolved:  In order to keep Members up to date regarding ICT developments which affect them.