The Panel to elect a Chair for the remainder of the municipal year.

RESOLVED –

That Councillor Counter be elected Chair for the 2013/14 municipal year.

There were no apologies for absence.  Councillor Greenslade was absent without apologies.

Councillor Counter advised that she was a member of the leisure centres.

To submit for signature the minutes of the meeting held on 5 February 2013.

(All minutes are available on the Council’s website)

The minutes of the meeting held on 5 February 2013 were submitted and signed.

The Panel’s terms of reference have been updated and agreed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Panel is asked to note the changes as detailed in the attached report.

The Panel received a report of the Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer providing an update on the revised terms of reference, which had been agreed by Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  The revised terms of reference set out which contracts came under the Panel’s remit

RESOLVED –

that the revised terms of reference for the Outsourced Services Scrutiny Panel be noted.

The update on actions is attached for the Panel’s comments and for sign-off of completed actions.

The Panel received an update on different actions which had arisen from previous meetings.

The Commissioning Manager referred to action SLM1 and reported that the Green Travel Plan had been delayed but she hoped it could be circulated next week.

The Chair noted the random inspections of cleanliness at the leisure centres and felt that this was a good practice.

The Commissioning Manager referred to the action at SLM7 and the relationship with Watford Swimming Club.  She explained that there had been some concerns about the relationship with SLM and that officers from the Council had brokered the ongoing relationship. Additional pool time had also been secured, albeit not at the time requested.  This was a good outcome.  The Head of Corporate Strategy and Client Services added that there had been a change in the Contracts Manager at SLM and two experienced managers were now in place.  They were working to improve communications and relationships with partner agencies.  The new relationship was now based on partnership ethos.

The Chair asked about the climbing wall at the leisure centre.  In response, the Head of Corporate Strategy and Client Services advised that it had been decided that the issue would be deferred for six months.  During this time, there would be a refocus on the issues including the routes on the wall and marketing.  The Commissioning Manager added that a communication from SLM would be sent out shortly.  The Head of Corporate Strategy and Client Services advised that the climbing wall was valued by the small number of climbers, but there were questions around whether the declining usage was due to a lack of marketing or a diminishing need.  One option would be to install a more accessible wall for wider use in the community.

The Partnerships and Performance Section Head reported that the cleaning statistics had not been available for this report but would be reported in the future.

The Panel agreed that a number of the actions could be signed off as complete.

ACTION – the Commissioning Manager to re-circulate the staff satisfaction survey.

RESOLVED – that the actions update be noted and the completed actions be signed off.

Report of the Partnerships and Performance Section Head

This report provides the Panel with the relevant performance indicators for Quarter 4 (2012/13).

The Panel received a report of the Partnerships and Performance Section Head providing the quarterly performance indicators for quarter 4 2012-13. 

The Partnerships and Performance Section Head introduced the report; she noted that the ICT contract would remain within the remit of the Shared Services Joint Committee (SSJC).  It was agreed that future performance indicators for this outsourced service should remain with the SSJC.

The Partnership and Performance Section Head noted that the report was still evolving and would contain more information once the Environmental Services data was included.

The Chair noted that the indicators for SLM were very quantitative and asked whether any qualitative indicators could be included.  She asked whether an indicator of complaints and compliments could be brought to the Panel in future.  The Commissioning Manager confirmed that this was possible.  A general survey to discover users’ views on satisfaction with all the Leisure Centre services including cleaning was being developed, and there would be regular surveys in the future.

Following a further question from the Chair, the Commissioning Manager confirmed that HQ Theatres also collected data around complaints and compliments; it would be possible to bring this to the Panel.

The Partnerships and Performance Section Head confirmed that it would also be possible to provide data giving the reasons why the Council had lost any parking appeals.

ACTION – Partnerships and Performance Section Head to include the following indicators in future reports:

·        Complaints and compliments at the leisure centres

·        Complaints and compliments at the Colosseum

·        Reasons why parking appeals had been lost

RESOLVED –

1.      that the performance of the identified outsourced service indicators at the end of quarter four be noted.

2.      that the future inclusion of performance measures relating to recent outsourced services in the next report to the Panel be noted.

The Head of Corporate Strategy and Client Services will give an introduction to the new Client Services team and their responsibilities.

The Head of Corporate Strategy and Client Services introduced the item.  She circulated two documents to Members; an overview of the service contracts managed by the department and a staff structure chart.

The Head of Corporate Strategy and Client Services explained the background to the restructure, with a number of services having been externalised.  The aim was to create a centre of excellence in the area of contract management.  The small department was responsible for a number of contracts which covered areas including waste, street cleansing, parks, leisure centres, and theatres as well as grants to organisations providing services to the community.  She referred to the structure charts and explained the different roles. The major areas of work for each of the teams were also highlighted for the Panel.  There was a team which looked after the contracts and service level agreements with the theatres, community centres and other charitable organisations.

Following a question from Councillor Hastrick, the Head of Corporate Strategy and Client Services responded that the hostels and temporary accommodation contract was managed by the Housing Service. It was hoped that in the future this new department would be able to offer additional support in contracts management to the Housing service.  The Head of Corporate Strategy and explained which partner organisations were involved.

RESOLVED  –

That the introduction be noted.

The Panel is asked to review and agree the attached work programme.

The Panel received a draft work programme for consideration which outlined the content of the two further meetings scheduled for the year.

The Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer confirmed that if the Panel wished to have an additional meeting, this would be possible.

RESOLVED –

 that the work programme be noted.