Lean Reviews

NDDC Lean Team and colleagues

NDDC Lean Review Timeline2011 – Alexander Consultants undertook a Lean Review with the Stour Valley Partnership (SVP). As part of the review they trained an SVP ‘core team’ to continue with the reviews.2012 - Alexander Consultants undertook a Lean Review with Development Services. As part of the review they trained a ‘NDDC core team’ to continue with the reviews.2013 onwards - The newly formed NDDC Lean Team performed Lean Reviews with:

Trees – Environment Conservation- Environment Licencing Housing Finance

2014 onwards - Licencing and Development Services, Building Control and Environment move into the continuous improvement phase of the lifecycle and begin their own process reviews – the new way of working has become embedded into our culture.

Housing Lean ReviewThe Housing Team worked with the NDDC Lean Team creating 11 recommendations for improvement. The team have been working hard to complete these recommendations and have identified further areas for improvement.

Online Housing Register Application – This can now be saved at anytime, improving the customer experience. Pre-application questions have been added to the form which stops applications from been processed where the customer will not qualify to go onto the housing registration - such as non UK residents.

Medical Forms – The forms are scanned into the system and the officers use a rota to process them.

Housing Lean Review Tenant Evictions - Housing are working closely with Spectrum

to ensure that they can intervene with tenants early, creating payments plans etc. to try to minimise evictions. This in turn reduces the work for Housing as less tenants are evicted and this leads to a more stable life for families.

Customer Contact – Primary contact with customers is now by email, creating efficiencies in stationery costs and officer time.

Auto bidding – Only allowing applicants to bid for properties that they are eligible to bid for.

Supporting Documentation – No longer chase customers for supporting evidence after 28 days. If it is not received the customer is removed from the housing list.

Housing Lean Review Customer Appointments – Making sure officers are in the right

place to best support customers. Electronic Document Management – The team agreed a

process and naming convention with the Corporate Support Team which enabled them to start scanning documentation into the Locata Housing System.

Further Recommendations post initial Lean Review Re-Registration – Housing took the opportunity to finish the

project of back scanning all files into the system and destroying the files no longer required. The team is now paperless.

Updating of the Bed and Breakfast Procedures. Typing up notes at the interview stage to save double handling.

Finance Lean ReviewThe Finance team with the NDDC Lean Team undertook a review of two processes within Finance:

• Budget Monitoring Process• Creditor Invoice Process

These reviews have led to 10 recommendations. With the commencement of the partnership with West Dorset, Weymouth and Portland. It is realised that not all of the recommendations will be feasible to implement at this time. It would be prudent to look at these recommendations in line with the service review / convergence.

Finance – Budget Monitoring Process Create a folder on the shared network drive which all budget holders will have

access to. This will hold an up to date, read only copy of the report that is created in Microsoft Access by Finance, as this gives further information to the monthly budget report.

Set up training courses for all relevant staff on Total, focusing on profiling and running reports.

Ensure that each month the progress template for use by Manager and Senior Managers is populated with regards to the budget.

Make budget holders accountable for their budget. Budget holders should be invited to SMT to explain variances in their budget. Ensuring that there is enough time after the SMT session to update the monthly report prior to its submission to Management Board.

Ensure that budget holders are using the commitments system to raise orders when it is known that goods and services are to be procured, rather than when the invoice is received. This is as per the recommendations made by the internal audit partnership.

Finance – Creditor Invoice Process All invoices to be delivered direct to Finance - Of the 207 invoices received during

August 2014, 70 did not come direct to Finance. On average, if Finance need to locate an invoice for payment, this takes around 7 mins per invoice. This is avoidable contact which creates extra work for Finance and is poor customer service.

Remove delays in order processing - Out of the 207 invoices that were received into the Finance Department during the month only 66 were ready to process.

Staff availability to input and authorise orders - It was found that some hold ups were caused by the correct people being unavailable to process invoices when required.

Correctly input orders on the Finance system - Five of the invoices that were received had to be recoded due to mistakes made on the orders.

Reduce the need to print Invoices - Currently the Finance Team needs to print off any electronic copies of the invoices, for budget holders to use when authorising invoices. This means that Finance physically have to walk to each office to deliver the paperwork, the paperwork then needs to be returned to Finance.

NDDC Lean Reviews Successful Continuous Improvement

Sustaining and building on the improvements made during the Lean intervention.

Development Services, Building Control & Environment Licencing

Recognising the fact that every single worker in his/her 25 feet of space is an expert. Each one has lots of good ideas if you just ask.

Feasibility&

Project DesignAnalyse Redesign Implement

ContinuousImprovement

PDCA

Plan

Do

Check

Act

History of the Development Services Lean ReviewIn 2012 Development Services undertook a Lean Review with the aid of Alexander Consultants and began to examine how existing Planning processes should change. The Lean Working Group initially scoped the current processes, identified where responsibility would fall, and identified new and changed processes. Development Services have since completed detailed mapping of all processes which will be further updated by work streams as processes are continuously improved and refined, particularly as new back office IT Systems are developed and implemented.

Steps followed by the Lean Working Group process:1.Validate

current process groups

2. List current

processes

3. Identify future

responsibility

4. Define the future

processes

5. Detailed mapping

Ongoing improvement

6. Identify & escalate issues

Examples of process change under Lean: Ongoing Improvement

The introduction of IDOX Uniform changed a number of process areas within Development Services:

• New internal processes stood up to jointly cover elements of Environment and Building Control

• Current processes were modified to account for the new operating model

• Implementation of IDOX Uniform changed existing processes, which had interfaces across Development Services, Building Control & Environment.

• Joint processes were required in some areas• Some current processes remained unchanged

Implementation of IDOX Uniform

changes existing processes

New internal processes

Modified current

processes

Unchanged current

processes

Building Control & Environment Development Services

Joint processes

Joint process work with Building Control and Environment

DEPENDENCIES

The diagram below summarises how the high level process groups will fit together between Development Services, Building Control & Environment. As processes become clearer and more detailed through transition, all internal Planning processes will also evolve to align with the new ways of working.

It is envisaged that the processes will continue to be documented and updated through life, reflecting a culture of continuous improvement and acting as a record of current processes.

The owners of each process should be working with a counterpart from the other departments to develop and detail the process going forward. The owner will then update the documentation appropriately.

REGISTRATION

DEV SVC’SAPPLICATIONSe.g.HOUSE/FUL/PREAPP

ENVIRONMENTAPPLICATIONSe.g.LBC/TPO/TWAP

BLDG CONTROLAPPLICATIONSe.g.FULL PLANS

APPLICATIONRECEIVED

EXAMPLE APPLICATION JOURNEY SUB PROCESSES

OUTCOMEe.g.DECISION

FEE PAYMENT

VALIDATION

PLOTTING

SCANNING

INDEXING

ADVERTISEMENT

CONSULTATION

NOTIFICATION

WEEKLY

LIST

CASE

OFFICER

FINANCIALHUMAN RESOURCESICTPOLICY & LEGISLATION

Updating and refining joint processes

Logistics of updating the Master versions:

Location:

Process maps are held on the N: Home Drive\Reference Library\Uniform User Manuals. Each process owner has a responsibility for keeping their processes up to date; this will be overseen by the Development Services Business Support Team Leader.

How regularly to update:

Owners should update process maps whenever a clear change to tasks, triggers, owners or process flows has been identified. Version control should be updated accordingly detailing each change.

Joint working on processes:

Knowing your interfaces:

It will be important to understand the nature of any joint work and/or interfaces arising in the various processes. The detail of many of these will evolve as the implementation of new and improved back office IT Systems takes place. Each process owner should be aware of both the requirements / restrictions of any review and the various SMEs that they will need to engage with to fully understand these interfaces.

Ensuring all impacted people are aware of changes:

When processes change in a manner that affects people undertaking the process, ensure communications are directed to the right people where required.

Recent Successes encompassing Development Services, Building Control & Environment

• Implementation of IDOX Uniform Jun 14:o Ensuring processes are streamlined, joint processes adopted, and all processes mapped.

• Accommodation Review - Oct 14:o Improved office layout encouraging better collaborative working

• Consultee Access Pilot Scheme /Town & Parish Clerk Surgery Sessions - Dec 14:o Positive feed back received with better education resulting in improved services and more streamlined processes.

o

• Conservation Officers as Case Officers for Applications for Listed Building Consent - Jan 15:o LBC Applications now handled completely by Conservation Officers; previously statutory consultees

• Conservation Officers Team Areas now split North/South in - Jan 15:o Previously split East/West; now in line with Planning/Enforcement/Tree Officers

• New staff, new appointments and better employment of apprentices – Ongoingo Provided opportunity for cross training across Services, resulting in improved resilience.

• Tree Protection Orders (TPO’s) – Oct 14 to Dateo Previously records were held in “Red Folders” all records now to be held electronically.

• Agile/Smarter Working Practices - Ongoing o Officers across all work streams encouraged to practice smarter working; aided by improved Technology and use of “Hot Desk”

Consultee Access Feedback Examples

Surgery Session - Record of Discussions

Upcoming Continuous Improvement Projects impacting Development Services, Building Control & Environment

• Continuous Improvement Survey: Target Date TBCo Developed by the Lean Team ready to deploy if/when required

• Consultee Access – Target Date for 100% uptake by end Mar 15o Requirement for all Statutory Consultees to be using Consultee Access

• Implementation of Total Land Charges (TLC) Module – Target Date Sept 15o Acknowledging requirement to capture better quality data across all Departments

• IDOX DMS – Target Date Jun 15o Opportunity to ensure best practice processes across all work streams

• Upgrade to IDOX Uniform 10 – Target Date TBCo Improved functionality; opportunity to further improve processes

• Upgrade to Public Access V2 – Target Date TBCo Improved functionality leading to improved customer satisfaction

• Implementation of IDOX Enterprise – Target Date TBCo “Bolt-around” for Uniform providing work flow capability; performance monitoring etc

• Implement Compliance Monitoring Module in Uniform (S106 etc) – Target Date TBCo Improved central record and improved ability to monitor trigger points• Environment: Implement Listed Building Module in Uniform – Target Date TBC• Building Control: Implement Competent Persons Module in Uniform – Target Date TBC:• Building Control: Implement Dangerous Structures/Contraventions Module in Uniform – Target Date TBC:

Successful Continuous Improvement: Planning for the Future

• Continuous Improvement is a Journey…

…not a Destination

• Continuous Improvement defines much of Lean:

o Creating an atmosphere of continuous learning

o Not only accepting , but actually embracing change.

• Tri Council Partnership

o This latest review started before the extent of the current TCP became evident; we have therefore taken a rather longer term perspective in looking towards the wider programme of service reviews, recognising that given the number of recent and ongoing reforms we are unlikely to be able to offer any “quick fixes”.

o Our focus has instead been on building on existing and proposed processes with a view to establishing a complete planning application process that enhances the integration between the back office systems within Development Services, Environment and Building Control.

• Managers Meeting South Walks House 25 Feb 15:

o One of the first outcomes of this meeting is that Development Services have seconded validation officers to West & Weymouth to help them manage their backlog of applications.

o This provides a great opportunity to understand how the other two councils are working and enables us to form some early views about how we can take best practice from both organisations to inform the new organisation's progression.

Licencing – Pre Lean• Applicants – request pre app advice – 30 mins• Applications returned in person/post• BSO would collect post – 10 mins• Applications would be placed onto Lalpac – 30 mins• Knowledge test – 45 minutes• DBS forms – 30 minutes• Chasing missing documents – 1 hour • Collecting payment – 10 mins (usually over phone)• Producing badge and licence - 10 minutes• Arranging for applicant to collect licence – 10 minutes

• Total Time 2 hours and 55 minutesTied to office and limited hours

Licencing – Post Process1. Applicant finds information online2. Applicant submits online application and makes payment (application is placed

onto our system)3. Officer creates online DBS applicant – 5 minutes4. Applicant completes online DBS form and makes payment5. Officer arranges and verifies applicant document- 30 minutes6. Doctor Completes online medical7. DBS is returned online8. Application is processed 10 minutes9. Licence emailed to applicant 5 minutes10. Badge produced and posted to applicant – 10minutes

Total time 1 hour and this can be processed from anywhere11. Document verification to be carried out by a post office, doctors to be able to put

medicals straight into our database, personalised service (visiting customers at their business premises), Shared partnership workings (policies procedures and conditions to licences), one service across 3 Councils, corporate printing

Licencing - BenefitsCost Savings• Reduce postage costs (saving over £1,500 p/a)• Reduced printing costs• Reduced waste - recycling/confidential• Reduced IT administration costs

Non cost benefits• Improved reputation• Improved customer service• Improved officer productivity• One database meets all requirements• Reduced possibility of lost information (online

applications)• Reduced administration (online applications)• Ability for service to take on more work (caravan/mobile

home licensing – Skin Piercing)• Better employee work life balance• Improved morale• Possible reduced sickness absence

Licencing – Online Benefits• Customers are no longer tied to 9-5 hours

(80% of all applications are currently online)• Improved Council reputation• Customers are able to manage their own

business online• Reduced phone calls as customers are

looking for online services• Reduce post into the council• Applications are placed straight onto our

database• Payment can be mind at the time of the

application• Full EU Directive compliance

Lean Reviews – Possibilities• Training a small Lean Team from staff across the Tri

Council Partnership.• Using Lean as an efficiency tool as part of the service

convergence.• Supporting the Smart Working Agenda.• Lean facilitates positive cultural change ‘hearts and

minds’.• Lean is an effective and powerful tool as long as the outputs remain greater than the inputs.