ITEM CA12
CABINET – 20 NOVEMBER 2007
TAKING FORWARD THE CHANGE AGENDA
Report by the Chief Executive and the Cabinet Member for Change Management
Introduction
1. In November 2005 the Cabinet considered a report entitled "Taking Forward the Change Agenda". It confirmed the setting up of the Change Management Board as the body responsible for overseeing the coordination of change management within the authority and agreed its terms of reference.
2. The Cabinet requested further reports and this request was met last year by the submission of a first Annual Report from the Board. The Board is now submitting its second Annual Report, which is attached as an Annex (download as .pdf file).
The Board’s Second Year
3. In the attached report, the Board provides an account of its second year of operation and looks forward to future changes that are already in the planning stage.
4. There has been substantial progress during the year on the major strategic programmes that report to the Board.
5. The Shared Services programme is on track to achieve predicted gross savings of £27 million over an eight year period. The Shared Services Centre opened for business at Chiltern House in Cowley in January 2007, with an official opening ceremony held in May. Twelve Services are already operating from the Shared Services Centre and the remaining three Services will transfer in January and April 2008.
6. The Charter Mark programme is also on track to achieve its aim of corporate Charter Mark status for the Council by March 2009. A further Six services have gained a Charter Mark since the Board’s last annual report, bringing the total to 25.
7. The Oxfordshire Highways programme is drawing to a close and preparing to transfer to ‘business as usual’, having achieved its objective of creating an effective partnership to improve Oxfordshire’s roads. Its success is reflected in the major highways projects that have recently been completed on or before time and to budget, including the Headington ‘hamburger’ roundabout.
8. A Fundamental Service Review of ICT Services took place between January and July 2007. The Review was unique in being conducted jointly on behalf of the Cabinet and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee, with the work overseen by a board of Members and senior Officers. This was considered to be a highly effective way of working across the Council in support of our ‘one team’ value. The review concluded that the Council’s ICT Services are fit for purpose and benchmark extremely well, with below average costs. However, the Review did propose a more robust strategic planning capability so that the real potential of the ICT function can be fully realised by the Council. A new ICT Strategy Group will now be responsible for the strategic direction of ICT as a whole within the Council.
Future Priorities9. During summer 2007 a gap analysis was undertaken against the actions and outcomes listed under the Seven Key Changes for Success to identify areas which were at risk of not being achieved.
10. As a result of this analysis, a brief has been drawn up for a new programme entitled ‘Shaping Up’. This incorporates some elements of the previous Organisational Development Programme, but also addresses key areas of cultural change such as organisational decluttering. The proposed programme has three elements: Employee Engagement, One Team, and Leadership & Performance.
11. A scoping study has also been completed for a potentially far-reaching programme whose working title is ‘21st Century Customer’. If adopted, this programme will transform the way the Council relates to its customers and result in measurably higher levels of customer satisfaction, together with an enhanced profile for the Council. The programme is based on a joined-up view of customer and place, and the aim is to provide world-class customer service with a focus on people and communities where the council can make a real difference. This will involve looking at how customers access the Council (and how we access them), and how services can be joined up around a holistic view of the customer and their needs.
Risk Assessment
12. All the programmes reporting to the Change Management Board are required to adopt a risk-based system of reporting. At each of its six-weekly meetings, the Board receives a portfolio report and a dashboard report showing the current status of the programmes, including their risk status. Issues are escalated to the Board for action if risks are not being successfully managed within the programme.
RECOMMENDATION
13. The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to receive the second Annual Report of the Change Management Board and agree the Board’s priorities for its third year of operation, subject to any changes that the Cabinet Member for Change Management would wish to make in light of any comments by the Cabinet.
JOANNA SIMONS Chief Executive
COUNCILLOR JOHN HOWELL Cabinet Member for Change Management
Background papers: Nil
Contact Officer: Hilary Simpson, Corporate Change Manager, Tel: 01865 815487
November 2007
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