Agenda and minutes

The following interests were declared:

Personal Interests

Councillor                                         Interest

Suzanne Wyatt                                ‘How the Public Contact the Council’ – as an employee of the Citizens Advice Bureau.      

Daniel Hawthorne                           ‘How the Public Contact the Council’ – as a Board member of Stockport Homes.

Prior to the meeting, Councillors observed staff working in the Contact Centre, Houldsworth Centre, Reddish.  Members asked questions, and were shown current methods of processing residents’ questions relating to highways and transport, refuse collection service, anti social behaviour and council tax.  Members were also shown how residents reported broken street equipment such as street lights using the online form on the Council’s website. 

Clare Paolo (Senior Housing Benefits Officer) gave a presentation explaining how a claimant would complete an online form on the Council’s website.  She presented screenshots detailing how the form was viewed externally on the Council’s website and how requests were managed by Assessment Officers.  She also explained the process for dealing with emails submitted via the Council’s website.   The following comments were made/issues raised:-

• A Councillor expressed concern in respect of the security of the online form on the website relevant to Housing Benefit and how claimants’ information was validated.
• How the Housing Benefit Team prevented couples claiming individual housing allowance as opposed to the shared accommodation rate. 
• Whether the Housing Benefit and Council Tax online forms clearly stated to claimants which forms of evidence were required before submitting the online form.
• Councillors expressed concern regarding the number of pages that a claimant had to complete and commented that they found the process discouraging. 
• The percentage of claimants who submitted incorrect information.
• Councillors praised the timeframe of 48 hours for processing the housing benefit online form but expressed concern for those residents who did not have access to the Internet.
• Why the submission of a claimant’s hardcopy form took longer to process than an online form.  Councillors suggested residents who did not have access to the Internet were disadvantaged and questioned how illiterate claimants were helped through this process.
• Whether there were any faults with the current online system for housing benefit and Council tax and how long the system had been in-place.
• The number of claim forms processed each week.
• The percentage of emails received for housing benefit and council tax where claimants stated their reference number.
• When a reference number was created was the claimant informed of this information.
• A Councillor praised Salford City Council’s customer online portal account and suggested Stockport Council should consider implementing a similar system.
• How adaptable was the Council’s software to incorporate a customer portal system like the one used at Salford City Council.
• Councillors praised the aspect found in some other local authorities’ websites whereby residents were able to enter their postcode which then provided information and services about their local area and asked whether it was technically feasible to achieve this in Stockport.
• Councillors expressed concern that residents were primarily advised to go online to contact the Council about housing benefit and were not given other options to contact the Council.  Concern was raised for illiterate and elderly people in the borough.

RESOLVED – That Clare Paolo be thanked for her attendance and presentation.

The Head of Marketing and Communications gave a presentation in respect of the outcome of the Council Communications Survey.  He explained the difference between the ‘Council Communications’ review and ‘How the Public Contact the Council’ review.  The research covered the following areas:-

• The different types of research undertaken as part of the Communications Review.
• The number of residents who had contacted the Council in the last three years.
• How residents contacted the Council.
• Which software applications and services people used on personal computers.
• Which services people used on their mobile phones and Ipod Touch.
• Usage of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
• Which sources of information people used to find out about Stockport Council’s services.
• Why residents contacted Stockport Council’s website.
• How satisfied were customers after contacting the Contact Centre.
• Whether customers preferred to go online to contact Stockport Council.
• Whether customers wanted a hardcopy of Council Services in the form of a leaflet or the Stockport Review.
• How much information did residents require with regard to Council Services.

Ian Ratcliffe (Head of Marketing and Communications) then informed Members of the findings of a second piece of research into the usability and accessibility of the Council’s website.  The following comments were made / issues raised:-

• Stockport Council’s website usability – Userability testers were given a list of tasks from a range of Council services to complete while being observed.  Tasks included reporting a failed bin collection and finding information on planning applications.  Testers were interviewed after the experiment and responded positively.
• The possibility of residents being able to choose if they wanted to receive a hardcopy or electronic copy of ‘The Stockport Review’.
• How living patterns, technology and people’s expectations had changed in recent years and how the Council was adapting to this change.
• The period of transition whereby residents would primarily use the Council’s website instead of written forms of communication.
• How the Council managed online forms from people who had no fixed abode.
• The cost of implementing an online system where residents could report a broken street lamp by entering the street lamp’s number.
• A Councillor stressed the importance of improving transactional forms and requested additional research on how this issue could be addressed.

The Online Communications Manager reported that work was currently being undertaken in improving the front page of the Council’s website which would ‘go live’ in the near future.

The Head of Customer Services reported on recent work undertaken and explained that investigations had commenced on addressing the graffiti online form, collection of bulky refuse forms and other electronic forms.  He explained that on completion of investigating these online forms, Officers would be able to estimate website costings on previous questions asked by Members.

RESOLVED – (1) That Ian Ratcliffe be thanked for his attendance and presentation.

(2) That the Head of Marketing and Communications be requested to circulate information on the following issues for the next meeting:-

(i) why a number of residents were ‘very dissatisfied’ with the contact that they received from the Council.

(ii) investigate issues relating to the contract for distributing the Stockport Review between Royal Mail and Stockport Council.

(iii) provide Councillor Anthony O’Neill the list of common questions to test out neighbouring local authorities’ websites.

(3) That the Head of Customer Services liaise with the ICT Development Manager to provide members with options for transactional working on-line forms.  This work should include accurate costings of the likely costs of improving processes along with any financial savings to be gained.

The Head of Customer Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a draft project plan for the Scrutiny Review – How the Public Contact the Council.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and that Members be requested to visit a district or local centre prior to the next meeting, which would take place on Wednesday, 7 December 2011.

The Head of Customer Services submitted an information note (copies of which had been circulated) detailing Members’ questions from the previous meeting on Wednesday, 28 September 2011.  The following issues were raised/comments made:-

• The number of hits received by Stockport Council’s website.
• A Councillor stressed that further detailed work needed to be carried out on the review and welcomed feedback from Members and Officers.

RESOLVED – (1) That the information note be noted.

(2) That the Head of Marketing and Communications inform the Panel of the number of visits to the Council’s website.