Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 12 February 2015

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 12 February 2015 be agreed as a correct record.

Councillors and Officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and Officers were invited to declare any interests which they had in

any of the agenda items for the meeting.

The following interest  was declared:-

Personal Interest

To consider a report of the Head of Policy, Performance and Reform

To consider draft recommendations for the review.

The Panel is invited to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Steve Skelton on 0161 474 31374 or email: steve.skelton@stockport.gov.uk

The Head of Policy, Performance and Reform submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out draft recommendations for the review.

The Panel considered the draft recommendations set out in paragraph 4 of the report, made the following comments and raised the following issues:-

Stockport Council to hold an Annual Digital Accessibility Seminar

·         The Panel was keen that Councillors, representatives from the Job Centre Plus, Work Clubs, local businesses, Disability Stockport, Citizens Advice Bureau and other partner organisations be invited to the Annual Digital Accessibility Seminar to consider the accessibility of digital services. The seminar should concentrate on all the reasons why people did not access digital services from the perspectives of age, socio-economic reasons, business, the third sector and disability.

·         A Member suggested holding a series of roadshows, with a mixture of old and young people. The roadshow could maybe form part of the Digital Festival.

·         The distinction between providers and enablers of services was an important one.

·         The seminar would need to be extensively advertised.

Stockport Council to help signpost residents to providers of digital training

·         The signposting and promotion of availability of support for digital access would use Stockport Homes’ resources in particular.

·         The ‘Stockport Review’ would be used as a means of signposting residents to the providers of digital training.

·         It was acknowledged that ‘The Stockport Review’ was published infrequently and that other means of signposting residents needed to be used such as libraries, community groups, posters, leaflets, advertisements on buses etc.

·         There needed to be targeted communication for vulnerable people and those most in need of support to complement the wider communications via ‘The Stockport Review’. Council Officers, for example social workers, could display leaflets when they travelled around the borough and Councillors could display leaflets in the buildings where they held their surgeries. Posters could also be displayed in schools. Staff from Borough Care could maybe assist with training in residential homes.

·         The Council needed to replicate the digital training being carried out by Stockport Homes for its tenants.

·         The Council needed to adopt a comprehensive, holistic strategic plan to proactively signpost residents to providers of digital training and also a communications strategy.

Break down data relating to access to digital services by age into smaller age groups

·         It was important to break down data relating to access to digital services by age, for example the over 55’s – there was a big difference, for example, between the digital accessibility of a 55 year old person and a very elderly person.

·         There were also socio-economic factors which need to be considered with regard to digital accessibility.

Develop a Digital Charter that sets out the Council’s aims around Digital Inclusion

·         A working group may need to be formed to develop the charter.

·         It was important that the aims contained in the charter were achievable.

Stockport Councillors to ‘lead by example’ on the use and promotion of Digital

·         The Panel debated the development of a Councillors’ portal on the website. This should be ‘rolled out’ in the same incremental manner as the I Pads were for Councillors, with training provided as necessary. It was important that Councillors led by example and acknowledged that the way the Council operated was changing ie Councillors should not always approach one particular Officer with an issue as they had in the past.

·         Councillors use of I Pads demonstrated that they were ‘leading by example’.

·         The support offered to Councillors was debated. A case management system could be introduced and integrated into a Councillors’ portal and the Area Flexibility Funding application was an example of a document which could be included in the Councillors’ portal. The feasibility of providing Councillors with improved digital tools such as a Councillors’ portal and a Councillor Case Work system would be investigated.

·         Residents required improved feedback with regard to progress on their enquiries submitted to the Council. Feedback on, for example, faulty  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To receive a presentation from the Head of Policy, Performance and Reform on possible further actions arising from the review.

There were no further issues to be considered in addition to those referred to in Minute 3 above.

The next meeting of the Panel will be held at 6.00pm on 24 March 2015 in the Town Hall.

RESOLVED – That the next meeting of the Panel be held at 6.00pm on 24 March 2015 in the Town Hall.