York Council “report it on line” snubbed by residents

The latest figures issued by the York Council confirm what most residents already knew.

The campaign, to get people to report service issues using a web based system, has stalled. The much hyped “report it” system has broadly the same number of users as it did 7 years ago.

Around 1500 issues are logged electronically each month. This is fewer than contacts via other channels.

Even responses to Emails are very slow these days.

The system was criticised for not being user friendly. It is still markedly more awkward to use than commercial systems like “Fix My Street“. There has been little improvement over the last 2 years with reports (other than street lighting and litter) virtually impossible to track to a conclusion. Street maps where they are included are of a very poor quality.

The new administration has specifically nominated an executive member to get a grip on digital communications.

We wish Cllr Nigel Ayre well with his task.

It is important because the cost of handling information digitally is a fraction of doing so through telephone calls or by a personal visits. Any savings on administration can be ploughed back into improving street level public services in the City.

York Council appoints temporary Chief Executive.

Its nearly 2 months since the York Council’s Chief Executive was last seen at West Offices.

Her diary is now published on “Open Data” and reveals that she had a meeting with the Strategic Director of Yorkshire Sport on 30th May. There is nothing in the diary since then.

In her absence on – what is assumed to be – sick leave, Ian Floyd will fill in. Ian Floyd is an able and experienced local government officer and he deserves the full support of the whole of the Council during what will be a taxing period

The Council also has a vacancy for a Director of Governance so the headquarters team looks particularly light at present.

It may be another 4 months before the Chief Executive’s position is resolved.

The additional costs of covering the absence are reported as being around £3000 a month.

Psst, can you keep a secret?

A York Council committee will be considering how to make settlement agreements – made when employees leave the Councils employment – more transparent.

They will also touch on the number of “Non-Disclosure Agreements” issued by the Council (over 60 in recent years) and whether these are in the interests of taxpayers.

The proposals are on the agenda of the, normally secretive, Staffing Matters and Urgency committee meeting which takes place on 5^th August. Unusually all the items on the agenda will be discussed in public.

Although the new process will involve the appropriate Executive Councillor, it does fail to lay down clear rules limiting the scale of enhanced payments to a leaving employee. They may still be seen by some managers as an easy way to get rid of under-performing staff.

Non-disclosure agreements will still be possible.

There are no plans to routinely report the nature and value of settlements and agreements to a public committee.

There may still be a suspicion amongst taxpayers that enhanced payments are made solely to avoid the laborious processes and costs of an Employment Tribunal.

NB. The same meeting is being told that the Council has been unable to find a suitable candidate to fill the new post of Director of Governance and Improvement. Instead a Director of Governance is to be appointed at a salary of around £90k.