Issue - meetings
Access Wirral
Meeting: 27/03/2017 - Cabinet (Item 114)
114 Access Wirral: Transforming Customer Services 
PDF 150 KB
Additional documents:
- Appendix A - Access Wirral Full Business Case - FINAL version, item 114
PDF 2 MB
- Appendix B - Business Overview and Scrutiny Committee Report 14th February 2017 - FINAL, item 114
PDF 128 KB
- Appendix C - Business Overview and Scrutiny Committee Presentation 14th February 2017pdf, item 114
PDF 1 MB
- Appendix D - Access Wirral Equality Impact Assessment - FINAL, item 114
PDF 142 KB
Minutes:
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Councillor Matthew Patrick, Cabinet Member – Community Engagement and Communications, said:
“Contacting the Council needs to be as easy as possible – Access Wirral will do just that.
Access Wirral will deliver a quick, seamless and efficient route for residents to contact the Council. By removing the duplication of systems, it will help staff provide much needed support in the most efficient way.
By investing £1.2 million in a state-of-the-art system, we will improve our customer services enabling people to be self-sufficient by accessing services quickly, digitally and easily.
With improvements, we could drastically reduce the waiting time for low-risk claims for Housing Benefit. This would see those claims paid sooner, protecting vulnerable residents from turning to expensive pay-day lenders.
This investment allows us to make savings in the near future; once the system is embedded and working to specification, it will enable us to direct our skilled staff resources to ensure the most vulnerable residents receive appropriate support to successfully and confidently access the services they need.
Access Wirral is a major step forward in how the Council supports residents”. |
Councillor Phil Davies informed that Paddy Cleary Wirral UNISON’s Branch Secretary had asked if he could address the Cabinet on this item of business and he had given him permission.
Mr Cleary informed that the report was asking for approval for a £1.2m investment over and above the £860,000 already committed that would look to save £3m in two years’ time. Therefore, in effect, a net saving of £940,000 unless there were add-ons or other further costs.
Mr Cleary also informed that what was not in the report was the 50% reduction in staff from 199 FTE to 100 FTE. It was unclear what the staff reduction would be in the Council’s One Stop Shops provision and access points found in our libraries. In the light of this he believed that the 2020 pledge of looking after the most vulnerable in our society was brought into question.
Mr Cleary informed that as branch secretary, he was accountable to the members who had elected him. Therefore, he could not allow these proposals to go forward without challenging the reduction in staffing numbers, the potential reduction in one stop shop provision and the likely reduction in access points in Wirral libraries. The staffing reduction would affect the livelihood of staff, would have a detrimental impact on their families and could see an increase in usage of the services they currently provided. This was because the majority of the staff lived in Wirral. They would see their income reduced and they may then need to rely on benefits. This also meant less money going into the local economy. Mr Cleary told the Cabinet that as Elected Members they were accountable to these Wirral residents. He drew attention to the ethical element of a labour administration putting over 100 people out of work.
Mr Cleary informed that it was clear that no operational manages had been involved in this initiative to transform customer ... view the full minutes text for item 114