Issue - meetings

The Executive Member for Corporate Services submitted a report that provided information on the council’s approach to digital services and how it currently accommodated those who were digitally excluded.

The Executive Member for Corporate Services said that as the way in which the council worked changed, it was important that organisations such as East Herts Council reflected and made sure changes were being made in the right way. Members were advised that the council had made significant strides in respect of digital transformation.

The Executive Member for Corporate Services explained that the customers who accessed the council’s services in person were often the ones with the most complex needs. He explained that this group of customers currently represented two to three percent of interactions with the public. Members were advised that the council’s approach to customer services provision would continue to be driven by data to ensure that residents needs were being met.

The Executive Member said that approximately 80% of face-to-face contact which the council had with customers was related to council tax and benefits, and that this was quite a significant increase of around 50% from the spring of 2023 when service contacts were more evenly spread across various departments and service areas.

The Executive Member said that to address digital exclusion, the council had kept its receptions open for walk ins, and residents could also book appointments if they found this to be convenient. The council had also held face to face consultations in public spaces in line with the corporate plan objective of being a listening council.

The Executive Member for Corporate Services said that the receptions had reopened for face-to-face services on a phased basis following the COVID-19 lockdowns, and he detailed the opening hours in Bishop’s Stortford and Hertford.

The Executive Member for Corporate Services said that although face-to-face demand continued to decrease, the council had continued to provide access for those who needed to engage with the council face-to-face. He acknowledged that for a small number of customers, the online systems for Resident Parking Zones (RPZs) permits may not be ideal. Members were advised that the technology that was in place did not offer the flexibility that some residents would prefer.

The Executive Member said that the council continued to provide paper RPZ permits for residents that visited the council offices. He said that the council would continue to learn from best practice and digital exclusion was not something that was unique to local authorities. Members were advised that other forward-thinking councils had partnered with business and agencies to address any concerns.

The Executive Member for Corporate Services said that the council would continue to learn from the experiences of other businesses and agencies where possible. He said that the council’s commitment to inclusivity remained at the core of the approach to digital exclusion and that the council would ensure that residents who chose not to use digital services, or those who were not able to, were fully supported and that this work  ...  view the full minutes text for item 291