Decisions

12.1

The Chief Operating Officer submitted a report seeking approval to commission a new Software Defined Wide Area Network (SDWAN) Service from an external provider, as outlined in this report.

This report explains the current WAN service and it its importance to the Council and schools.  The report goes on to describe the SDWAN network service and its potential benefits to the Council.

12.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee approves the commissioning of a new Software Defined Wide Area Network (SDWAN) Service from an external Provider for a period of 5 years with an estimated value of £3.6M, as set out in this report.

12.3

Reasons for Decision

12.3.1

It is recommended that the Council approves the commission of a new SDWAN Network Service.  This will:

• Deliver Savings against current contract.
• Deliver a more robust, efficient and simpler network service.
• Delivering a major project at a minimal cost of change with no dual running cost, transformational, project or upfront costs
• Provide in service performance upgrades to many of the locations with increases in bandwidth at no additional cost.
• Provides flexibility within the contract to account for estate rationalisation to work with the Accommodation review.

12.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

12.4.1

Option 1: Do Nothing

This is not an option because the current contract for the services will end on 31st May 2024. As the services are still required, a new contract will be required.

12.4.2

Option 2: Provide SDWAN Network Service in house (in addition to the managed service).

The Council does not have resource or the expertise in house to deliver the services outlined in paragraph 1.2. As such there is a necessity to contract out.

9.1

The Chief Operating officer submitted a report seeking approval for the refreshed Council Performance & Outcomes Framework 2024-28,as a companion to the new Council Plan, replacing the process and measures put in place to support the 2022/2023 Corporate Delivery Plan.

The Council Plan approval decision requested that officers prepare a new Outcomes Framework to support monitoring of performance against the Council Plan in early 2024.  To allow continued transparency and assurance for Strategy and Resources Policy Committee on performance against the organisation’s priorities through a refreshed set of Outcome Measures that reflect the intent of each priority in the Council Plan.

To ensure that Strategy and Resources Policy Committee can continue to contribute to the Performance System and drive improvement in the organisation. The new Performance Framework provides a system that promotes a culture of performance and delivery, a model for assurance and a golden thread that shows how all levels of the organisation can measurably contribute to the success of the Council Plan.

9.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(a) agrees the Performance & Outcomes Framework as a companion to the new Council Plan, as set out in Appendix 1;

(b) agrees the Outcomes Framework as the way to understand measurable progress against each priority in the Council Plan, as set out in Appendix 2; and

(c) agrees to continue to receive quarterly and annual reports* that provide an overview of performance against the Outcome measures, describing performance challenges, interventions taken, and the results of changes made. Annually review measures in the context of progress. (*It is recognised that given the increased frequency, breadth and ambition of performance reporting.  Future governance reviews may identity a more suitable Committee or sub-committee to consider the quarterly performance reports). 

9.3

Reasons for Decision

9.3.1

The Performance & Outcomes Framework will underpin how we measure progress and monitor impact of the Council Plan. It is aligned to our four-year Medium Term Financial Strategy and the outcomes will increasingly become the focus for our budget, Directorate and Service Plans over the coming year.

9.3.2

The Council has a systematic process and a robust corporate performance management framework to track progress.

9.3.3

Directly responds to the LGA peer review recommendations around performance management and alignment with council strategic priorities.

9.3.4

To ensure that Strategy and Resources Policy Committee contributes to the performance management process and drives improvement across the organisation.

9.3.5

Provides mandate for officers to proceed with implementing the full framework, including baseline and target setting for the selected outcomes measures and development of reporting infrastructure.

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

9.4.1

Do nothing – rejected – as set out in the Strategic Framework 2023/24, we are committed to developing and agreeing a medium-term plan for the council that sets out what we want to achieve for the city in the coming years and how we will contribute to the City Goals. The Council Plan is part of our Policy Framework and a critical step in our continued development as an organisation, connecting the ambitions and priorities of the administration to our Medium-Term Financial Strategy, workforce plans, Council Performance Framework, and Directorate Plans. It also ensures that we deliver on one of the key recommendations of the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge, further demonstrating our strategic development and maturity as an organisation.

9.4.2

Extend the Corporate Delivery Plan performance arrangements – rejected – the Corporate Delivery Plan has provided vital stability and focus for the organisation over the last year, building on the One Year Plan, and bringing clear focus onto a number of key challenges that citizens wanted to see improve. However, the Corporate Delivery Plan was deliberately short term and as recommended by the LGA Peer Team, it is important to bring medium-term focus for the Council so that citizens, staff and partners understand our priorities and ambitions.

10.1

The Chief Operating Officer presented a report proposing a new Customer Experience Strategy and Digital Strategy to be delivered under the Future Sheffield Programme, the Council’s four-year transformation programme, which is aimed at improving service effectiveness and delivery across the organisation whilst creating a robust long-term financial plan for the Council.

10.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(a) approves the Customer Experience Strategy attached to the report at Appendix A; and

(b) approves the Digital Strategy attached to the report at Appendix B

10.3

Reasons for Decision

10.3.1

The Customer Experience Strategy and Digital Strategy are key pillars the Council’s four-year transformation programme, Future Sheffield, which is aimed at improving service effectiveness and delivery across the organisation whilst creating a robust long-term financial plan for the Council. The strategies will ensure an organisation wide approach to customer services and digital transformation. This will contribute to achieving the vision and priorities of the Council Plan.

10.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

10.4.1

The Council could choose not to have either a Customer Experience Strategy or a Digital Strategy. This has been rejected because the strategies are interlinked and together will contribute to successful delivery of the Council Plan through the Council’s four-year transformation programme, Future Sheffield.

11.1

The Executive Director Neighbourhood Services submitted a report setting out new, more closely aligned Complaint Handling Codes developed by the Housing Ombudsman (HO) and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO), providing best practice for the handling and management of all types of complaints.

The report outlines the features and implementation of the Codes, and the changes which they introduce. It also presents for approval revised Complaint Policy & Procedures which have been aligned to the new Ombudsman Complaint Handling Codes.

11.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: (a) That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(i) approves the revised Sheffield City Council Complaint Handling Policy (April 2024) attached to this report at Appendix 1 for adoption with immediate effect to align to implementation of the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code;

(ii) approves the revised Sheffield City Council Complaint Handling Policy (September 2024) attached to this report at Appendix 1a for adoption with effect from 1st   September 2024 to align to implementation of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code; and

(iii) approves corresponding changes to the Council’s Corporate Complaints Procedure attached to this report at Appendix 2.

(b) That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee recommends to Full Council that:-

(i) the role of the Deputy Leader of Council should include being the Lead Member for Customer Experience (including complaints) to promote a positive complaint handling culture;

(ii) the lead Member responsibility for complaints be reserved to Strategy and Resources Policy Committee, with specific responsibilities as described in Section 1.9 of this report; and

(iii) appropriate amendments are made to the Council’s Constitution.

11.3

Reasons for Decision

11.3.1

Statutory compliance required for Housing & Repairs Services from 1 April 2024. Principles to be adopted across whole Council from 1 September 2024 to provide consistent standards across all complaints and demonstrate our commitment to improving complaint performance.

11.3.2

Improved governance and monitoring to ensure performance targets are improved.

11.3.3

Improved performance reporting/monitoring - both internally and externally, including an annual self-assessment (HO), and reporting and analysis of service improvements/learnings to the Strategy & Resources Committee.

11.3.4

Emphasis on the prioritisation of complaints and to engender a culture of listening and learning from complaints.

11.3.5

Revised and comprehensive Complaints Policy & Procedures are needed to align to the new Ombudsman Complaint Handling Codes. Council Policy was last updated in 2014.

11.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

11.4.1

The Council could choose not to update its own Complaint Handling Policy and Corporate Complaints Procedure or to implement the HO Complaint Handling Code but to do so would risk findings of non-compliance by the HO and regulatory failure by the Regulator of Social Housing.

8.1

This report provides details of proposed changes to the existing Capital Programme as brought forward in Month 11 2023/24.

8.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That the Finance Committee:-

1.     approves the proposed additions and variations to the Capital Programme listed in Appendix 1;

2.     approves the proposed variation to the Capital Programme listed in Appendix 2 subject to the agreement of acceptable funding terms between SCC and the Integrated Care Board and NHS England as approved/delegated by decision of Strategy and Resources Policy Committee 19/12/22; and

3.     approves the issuing of grant funding as identified in Appendix 3.

8.3

Reasons for Decision

8.3.1

The proposed changes to the Capital Programme will improve the services to the people of Sheffield.

8.3.2

To formally record changes to the Capital Programme and gain Member approval for changes in line with Financial Regulations and to reset the capital programme in line with latest information

8.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

8.4.1

A number of alternative courses of action are considered as part of the process undertaken by Officers before decisions are recommended to Members. The recommendations made to Members represent what Officers believe to be the best options available to the Council, in line with Council priorities, given the constraints on funding and the use to which funding is put within the Revenue Budget and the Capital Programme.