Efficiencies & IT Panel 24 March 2006

1. Efficiencies & IT Panel 24 March 2006 Stuart Campbell Head of Information Systems

2. SAP User Survey - Support Results of the survey

3. Overview Of Responses • 225 users (10% of SAP community) • 59% service users, 15% team leaders/supervisors, 21% managers and 5% senior managers • All departments represented

4. General response – SAP support • Overall response was positive • Some key areas for improvement

5. Communications / Use of Connect • 74% satisfied or very satisfiedIssues • Finding documents / searching • Improve clarity of content – particularly in certain areas

6. Top Areas For Connect Improvement • Develop SAP A-Z • Improve search facilities / navigation • Simplify the language of SHARP documentation

7. Preferred Communication Method • Targeted e-mails – 46% • Connect updates – 31% • Generic e-mails – 23%

8. Request For “How To Guides” • 23% of respondents asked for such additional guides e.g. • Online Buying – “idiots guide” • Reporting guide • Simpler guide for infrequent users

9. General Findings • Help Desk helpful and valued • Improvement to input forms • Reduce jargon • Set-up interactive bulletin board to share best practice and issues

10. What we are doing to address concerns • Revising SHARP connect pages to reflect feedback . • Planning to build up FAQ sections & simple "how to guides" (which may include some short e-learning sessions) to help users be more self sufficient, and promote “one-way” of doing things. • Developing support call analysis to link that to prioritisation of development of connect information. Thereby addressing areas which currently generate general advice/"how do we do this" calls to the help desk.

11. SAP Support Survey Questions?

12. Schools Reporting Business Case

13. School Reporting – Business Case • HCC is moving from paper reporting to schools to circulation of electronic file • Members were concerned that this simply transfers printing costs to schools • Asked for presentation on wider business case for such a move

14. Three Types Of Benefit(Benefits are wider than just cost savings) • Service improvements • Employee benefits • Efficiencies

15. Schools Reporting – Service Benefits • Schools get there reports / information earlier • Schools can upload to spreadsheets and run checks against their budgets easier – for example recovery of payroll costs and direct debits • Schools will be able to get more information in the electronic file as it does not have the limitations of the paper report • All the above benefits do not require additional input from schools! • Employee benefit - Provides schools with information in a timely manner to enable them to ensure their employees get paid correctly – first time.

16. Schools Reporting - Efficiencies • There will be savings on printing costs where schools choose not to print. • Logistics costs savings • Enables Pre-payroll report which should help schools prevent errors happening in first place. Leads to a better quality payroll with fewer overpayments. Savings would be realised in schools budgets. Schools forum is supportive. • Potential for HCC to further benefit as Serco would have less errors to clear up.

17. Schools Reporting Questions?

18. PC Purchasing PC Purchasing v Leasing

19. Cost V Savings - reminder 3 year replacement model:- • £810,900 cost yr 1 • £300,400 cost year 2 • £210k saving subsequent years • 9 year payback period

20. Recommendations - reminder • Make necessary 2 year investment to move to purchasing • Move to fully purchased model within 3 years • Continue to manage replacement with same mechanisms to ensure consistency etc

21. PC Purchase - Progress • Capital program agreed and in place for 2006/7 and 2007/8 • Corporate ICT and HBS implementing necessary changes. • Continues to be managed corporately to ensure consistency of approach • Purchasing starts April 2006 • Currently through CBC – reviewing emerging initiatives

22. PC Purchasing Questions?

23. Hermis - background • Members of this panel made recommendations for the improvement of reporting highway faults online • Concerns around usability of the system • Request that mechanism for user feedback be implemented

24. Improvements to the system making it easier to use. • When you report a street lighting fault, and can identify the unit, you are no longer required to enter a description of the location. • There is now an option to “Report another fault of this type” when you have already entered a fault. This means you no longer have to go back through the process of selecting a problem type. • If the fault is for a streetlight, the summary pages on the website and the confirmation email now show the actual light identification.

25. Hermis – User Feedback • Users are now invited to give feedback about highway fault reporting via a link and in the email confirmation they receive. • These are picked up by the Customer Service Centre and forwarded to the appropriate unit. • So if you would like to report a pothole, pavement problem, broken streetlight, or any other highway fault online, go to www.hertsdirect.org/highwayfaults

26. Hermis Questions?

27. Sharing Back Office Services In Local Government An executive guide on vital workforce issues for elected members and senior managers From 4ps

28. Political Issues Checklist • Which council/agency will employ the staff of the new service and where will they be located? • Does the strategy include any other objectives which may reduce the need for (or offset) likely job losses such as opportunities to bid for external work? • Have strategies for communicating and consulting with staff and trade unions been developed?

29. Staffing and Cost Saving Issues • Do the partner councils have HR and change management capacity required for the project? • If there are planned redundancies etc how much will they cost and how will partners share this cost? • If the project requires staff to move, will they be transferred or seconded to their new employer? • Is there scope for redeployment of staff to other functions within partner councils? • How will staff be selected for the new service? • Can a flexible approach to when and how work is done enable you to retain skilled staff?

30. Designing the new service - checklist • Does the business process review include a staffing audit and has it considered the workforce implications of changed working practices? • Is there scope for more flexible working hours and/or remote working options in the new service which may reduce disruption for staff? • Have training and development needs, now and in the future, been considered?

31. Sharing Back Office Services In Local Government Further information available at:-www.4ps.gov.uk