Blog Digital Strategy Progress
Author:Unknown Published date: 12 April at 13:36 pm Modified date: 09 April at 13:30 pm
Digital Strategy Progress
The following is a high level list of actions or projects that link with the delivery of the digital strategy and their current status.
| Key | |
|---|---|
| Planned | |
| In Progress | |
| Delayed | |
| Cancelled | |
| Completed |
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ongoing Redesign of Council website | Complete | |||
| Implement a digital customer services platform | In progress. | |||
| Introduce systems, integrated with the digital customer service platform to facilitate electronic methods of communication | ||||
| - Email subscriptions for Council news | In progress. Subscription system created. | |||
| - Digital notifications for updates to Council services | In progress and ongoing | |||
| - Online consultations, surveys and engagement | ||||
| Create and maintain Digital Inclusion plans addressing the key barriers to take-up | In progress. Meetings with partners to agree action plan | |||
| Develop a set of digital KPI’s to measure service performance against digital strategy objectives | Digital Take up indicator to be used for all service areas. First reporting period will be Q1 2019 | |||
| Refresh the procurement guidelines with a view to procuring the right digital systems | New technology procurement guidance agreed and will be added to the updated purchasing guide. Due May 2019 | |||
| Maintain and update our privacy policies and data sharing agreements to facilitate the sharing of information between departments | Complete | |||
| Explore alternatives to Connexica business intelligence system and develop a policy to maximise insight from the data we hold | Complete | |||
| Implement electronic payment software that is fully compliant with the banks’ Payment Card Initiative | Complete | |||
| Explore the use of AI, and voice activated services such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home | In progress. | |||
| Digitise or otherwise deal with paper files to reduce storage requirements | In progress | |||
| Explore the use of Social Sign on for the digital customer service platform |
Revenues & Benefits
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purchase and implementation of additional Capita advantage digital modules including suite of online forms and automation processes | In progress but delayed | |||
| Link online service requests and transactions to corporate digital customer service platform | Delayed due to above | |||
| Programme to increase the take up of ebilling and enotification for benefits |
Communications
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Explore potential for e-newsletters to replace or compliment Local magazine. | In progress |
Parking Services
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction of parking enforcement mobile technology as part of the new enforcement contract | Complete | |||
| Procurement of new cloud hosted parking system to replace the current Imperial system. | Complete | |||
| Design of new digital customer facing service to manage virtual parking permit system | Currently in discovery phase |
Planning
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programme of work to increase the proportion of applications submitted electronically | In progress | |||
| Provision of more open data for customers | In progress | |||
| Explore options for electronic notification of nearby planning applications | ||||
| Transfer existing processes for service requests to new Digital Customer Services Platform. | Complete |
Building Control
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creation of online application process | Complete | |||
| Transfer existing processes for service requests to new Digital Customer Services Platform. | Complete |
Housing
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Procurement of housing register application system to replace Locata | Complete | |||
| Link new housing register system with corporate digital customer service platform |
Finance
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer existing payment related processes to new Digital Customer Services Platform | Complete | |||
| Explore better integration between finance and payroll systems | ||||
| Review the appropriateness of Direct debit for annual payments |
Policy & Performance
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implement improved complaints handling system | Complete. New system integrated with Pentana now in use for managing complaints | |||
| Implement an improved FOI handling system | Delayed due to issues with integration for complaints project | |||
| Make more information available online to reduce FOI requests |
Democratic Services
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roll out of Skype for Business to Councillors | In progress. Should be completed by June 2019 | |||
| Reduce printing for agendas and papers for committees | ||||
| Explore alternative webcasting options including the potential to use You Tube | Complete. First webcast on new system in May 2019 |
Customer Services
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction of web chat | Delayed due to issues with contract | |||
| Trial the use of bots for simple web chat enquiries | In progress but delayed due to above |
Waste & Street
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extend the use of mobile worker to parks and open space | Project no longer happening due to change of system | |||
| Improve the provision of customer report tracking to keep customers informed of progress with reports | Review of online report-it processes in progress | |||
| Implementation of workforce tracking | ||||
| Project to enable street cleansing data to be presented publically on the councils website | ||||
| Introduce targeted outbound messages and reminders to reduce the number of missed bin reports | Complete |
Commercial Waste
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction of customer accounts | ||||
| Review the Abavus waste module | Complete. Abavus waste module not being taken forward |
Crematorium
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mapping of the cemetery and completion of electronic burial records to enable public searchable records |
HR
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Build a recruitment mini site | Complete | |||
| Electronic New Starter Pack | Project in progress. Currently investigating technical solution options |
Environmental Health
| Actions | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 | Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Develop fully online service requests, integrating into Idox Uniform. |
Digital Place
| Actions | Status | Update |
|---|---|---|
Work with KCC to ensure the roll out of high speed broadband across rural communities | Actions in this section are part of the Economic Development Strategy | |
Work with KCC on ensuring Maidstone Businesses benefit from the extended roll out programme | ||
Work closely with KCC to consider and implement ways to increase the speed, reliability and coverage of broadband across Maidstone, especially in rural areas | ||
Encourage all new developments to provide the required infrastructure to enable fibre to all premises | ||
| Help identify areas where poor broadband provision is hindering the development of business to help inform the areas of focus for the extension programme to the BDUK funding | ||
Work with mobile phone providers to ensure that mobile phone signal remains strong and improves in areas where coverage is poor |
Digital Customer
| Actions | Status | Update |
|---|---|---|
Ensure we provide support for those people who can’t use online services on their own | Digital Inclusion network created and strategy being developed. | |
Develop a digital inclusion strategy | Strategy being developed as above | |
Enable all transactions to be done online and all information to be sent to residents electronically through processes such as e-billing | Ongoing work to add additional online transactions | |
Develop a seamless multi-channel system that enables customers and staff to track customer transactions regardless of how they were submitted | My Maidstone customer account being launched in 19/20 | |
| Encourage more people to try digital services by providing friendly advice and assistance to customers | New team within Customer Services team with responsibility for digital support |
Digital by Design
| Actions | Status | Update |
|---|---|---|
Design our digital services around our customers’ needs and adopt a standardised approach to user centred digital service redesign, based on the Local Government Digital Service Standards | New Agile and Service Design processes adopted. All digital products will be assessed against the service standards from May 2019 | |
Use an agile approach to building services following our Discover, Build, Measure & Iterate model | Complete | |
Ensure that we use a digital-first approach when improving or providing new services | Complete | |
Identify appropriate performance measures for digital services to make sure they meet our expectations |
Digital Workforce
| Actions | Status | Update |
|---|---|---|
Embed the need for digital skills in to all job roles | In progress | |
Build the digital skills of our workforce and councillors | In progress | |
Include the requirement for identification of opportunities to implement digital technology as part of the service planning process | Complete. | |
Set challenging corporate ‘channel shift’ and digital targets | Digital Take up indicators adopted for all service areas from Q1 2019. Targets will be set at a later date once service areas understand their current performance | |
Further explore agile working to improve services to the customer, better utilise buildings, support the staff travel plan and also enable a work / life balance for staff | Part of the new ways of working programme of work | |
Continue the move to paperless offices with the exploitation of functionality of existing systems through new ways of working | Ongoing work | |
Reduce print outputs through a move to automated responses, improved web information, introduction of customer portal and other digital methods | Ongoing work |
Digital Infrastructure
| Actions | Status | Update |
|---|---|---|
Define what makes a ‘good’ system for the digital age and update our procurement strategy and commissioning process so that systems are only purchased if they meet this definition | Complete | |
| Review whether core corporate systems, such as Outlook, should be replaced with more modern, cloud based systems that would better support mobile digital working and deliver savings | Ongoing | |
| Move from the current position of a fully managed on premise IT infrastructure service to a mix of on-site, off-site, cloud and other technologies | Ongoing | |
Exploit digital tools to enable our staff to work flexibly and operate where required | Part of new ways or working | |
Ensure every digital interaction will be safe, secure and appropriate | Ongoing | |
At an early stage explore the potential of emerging digital technologies, and be open to adopting these as soon as they are seen to be beneficial and reliable. These include:
| In progress and ongoing. Exploratory work with local company around Alexa and google home skills | |
Work to adopt central government tools, such as GOV.VERIFY and GOV.NOTIFY | GOV.Notify fully adopted. Currently in use for 3 processes. |
Data for Digital
| Actions | Status | Update |
|---|---|---|
| Develop and open data strategy and data sharing policy for data to be shared more freely between departments | Open data project started early 2019/20 | |
| Enable the collation of customer data in a secure system that allows easy access to appropriate staff and departments | ||
| Use data analytics to support prevention and early intervention | Project in progress | |
| Work with partners to explore opportunities - including sharing data and intelligence - for digital to deliver a 'one public service' approach to service delivery | ||
| Use geographical data and demographic information to optimize delivery of all relevant services | ||
| Make all relevant information available to staff, members and partners, wherever they are, to ensure robust decision making | ||
| Ensure one version of the truth for property, business and citizen records with clear data ownership and management |
Digital Services
The Digital Service team at Maidstone Borough Council lead on the research, design and development of user centered services for residents in Maidstone
Find out more about the team