Agenda item

This report sets out the early outcomes of the first phase of easy@york, provides an analysis of the early benefits that have been achieved by the programme and gives an indication of some of the lessons already learnt. It also makes the case for a second phase of the programme and presents options to extend the reach of the current York Customer Centre and to establish a single, one-stop shop for face-to-face contact in the Hungate Building by 2010.  The report presents high level costs for a future phase and options on how this can be funded.

Members received a report which set out the early outcomes of the first phase of easy@york, provided an analysis of the early benefits that had been achieved by the programme and gave an indication of some of the lessons already learnt. It also made the case for a second phase of the programme and presented options to extend the reach of the current York Customer Centre and to establish a single, one-stop shop for face-to-face contact in the Hungate Building by 2010.  The report presented high level costs for a future phase and options on how this could be funded.

The matter was being dealt with by the Urgency Committee as a decision could not wait until after the summer recess, as this delay would lead to a significant hiatus in the programme which would both delay work on phase 2 and potentially threaten the move into Hungate in 2010. Also the Programme Team were largely employed on short term contracts which were approaching their end date and they may leave if there was no commitment to a second phase and this in turn would lead to a delay in commencing phase 2 and a loss of vital skills and experience.

The report presented the following options for consideration:

·  Option 1 – to end easy@york after phase 1;

·  Option 2 – to continue the programme to deliver the minimum possible change to move into Hungate;

·  Option 3 – to deploy the full easy@york approach on major customer facing services;

·  Option 4 – to develop corporate customer contact arrangements for all of the Council’s customer services, irrespective of size, and share these with partners such as Health, Police and the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

The report was accompanied by a presentation from the easy@york Programme Director, the Assistant Director (Public Services) and external consultants.  A copy of an article on the project from The Press was also circulated.

Members discussed the service areas listed in Annex 4 of the report, sought reassurance that the £2-2.5m investment that would be necessary to include them in the scheme would produce tangible cash savings and requested that further details on this be included in the next report.  It was also clarified that the projected savings for easy@york phase 2 were different to those projected for the Administrative Accommodation Project.

Advice of the Urgency Committee

That the Executive Leader be advised:

(i)      That the review of the benefits brought about by phase 1 of easy@york be noted;

(ii)     That the options for a future phase set out in paragraphs 41-53 of the report be noted, Option 3 be recommended and a further report be brought to Members in the autumn containing robust figures for possible capital costs and revenue savings and targets;

(iii)    That it be agreed that additional funding for easy@york phase 2 be made available from Prudential Borrowing to a maximum of £2.5m where it can be supported by identified efficiencies and savings options that would repay the level of additional investment required, and that Local Public Service Agreement 2 (LPSA2) funds be allocated in line with the new bidding process, in support of the Local Area Agreement (LAA), with any easy@york related bid needing to demonstrate its contribution to the LAA and compete for funds accordingly;

(iv)    That the introduction of telephone menus in August 2007, as set out in paragraph 27 of the report be noted;

(v)     That additional savings be sought from each easy@york phase 2 service in order to fund the repayment of the Prudential Borrowing.

Decision of the Executive Leader

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Urgency Committee be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:As Option 3 will enable the move into Hungate and will lead to improvements in Customer Services and deliver savings, all of which are part of the Council’s Corporate Strategy.