To Consider the report.

Councillor Hilton introduced and summarised the report to the Panel. Councillor Hilton invited the Panel to ask questions.

Refocus Community Wardens on problem solving, achieving staff savings

Councillor Price asked about Community Wardens and what the strategic priority was had changed the earlier decision to move to twenty-five wardens that were initially required to keep residents safe but by how this would be achieved by reducing this number by six, and she, questioned how residents would still be safe, and what other impacts this would have on residents? David Scott, Head of Communities, informed the Panel that the Community Wardens would continue to do the work that they were currently doing, the workload would be refocussed and would be tasked to carried out in a more efficient way, that reflected the different priorities that the enquires received involved. Duncan Sharkey, Managing Director, informed the Panel that there would be fewer wardens, the work would be prioritised differently, but they would still be delivering the same as now. They would continue to focus on problem solving and work hand in hand with the police.

Councillor Werner, from the public gallery, pointed out that Community Wardens did a great job of looking after residential wards, they patrolled areas and dealt with issues, and he was concerned that a level of detail to this attention to detail would be lost. David Scott informed the Panel that both the revised tasking and the way of operating would change but there would still be a problem solving team and area wardens. Tasks would be allocated in a different prioritised way.

Councillor Lynne Jones, from the public gallery expressed concerns about rural areas, explaining that currently the area community warden knew their area and dealt with the public on almost one to one basis. Councillor Jones requested that the grouping of areas for Community Wardens be looked at carefully such that very large rural areas for single wardens did not result.

Councillor Davey expressed the view that the police should look after the town centres and Community Wardens, the rural areas.

Focus customer service in Windsor at Windsor Library. Increase the use of 24/7 digital options on the council website. Align Library opening hours to service demand. Align call centre opening hours to service demand.

Councillor Samantha Rayner informed the Panel that staff provision had been increased to provide the customer facing RBWM services from York House. This would now be closed at York House and moved back to the Windsor Library as this is what residents preferred. This decision had been resident-led.

The library hours would be reduced by 123 hours per week following a detailed analysis of current usage. This would include Sunday opening, alternate delivery in Woodlands Park and Eton (Mobile/container) and other reductions, subject to a public consultation.

The contact centre operating hours would be reduced to 9am to 5pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 10am to 5pm on Wednesdays. The weekends and evenings would cease.

Councillor Price was concerned that with moving services from York House to the Library, residents had previously complained about lack of private consultation rooms and overhearing. Louise Freeth, Head of Revenues, Benefits, Library and Resident Services, informed the Panel that there were now three private consultation rooms.

Councillor Price continued that she had concerns as many parents and children who used the library as a safe space would no longer have that facility in the evenings, this was a concern as a corporate parent.

Councillor Werner, from the public gallery expressed concern about reduced hours of Boyn Grove library but was reassured that a public consultation would be carried out where residents would have the opportunity to feed in.

Councillor Hill, from the public gallery raised the issue that some residents wouldn’t want to go digital and this could alienate them which would cost the council more in the long term. Councillor Hill was reassured that staff would always be on hand to assist residents to show how to use the digital services and/or to assist them.

Councillor Jones, from the public gallery raised issues that York House was refurbished so that the council did not lose their offices in Windsor but now was only used by the Housing team and Optalis and had no other function for RBWM. Duncan Sharkey informed the Panel that York House was used by Optalis, Town Centre Management, Visitor Management, CLT, Members, staff smarter working, colleagues from the Guildhall and some meetings.

The Panel discussed the website improvement and that it needed to be more user friendly and have a better search facility. Councillor Samantha Rayner informed the Panel that a project was underway to improve the website.

It was confirmed that all digital subscriptions would be remaining as they currently were. Work was being carried out in the community to inform more residents of this service.

WAM Get Involved support

Councillor Price was concerned that the council were losing the ability of the local community focus of raising funds, assist and train volunteers in small charities and were making it more difficult for residents to become volunteers.

Councillor Samantha Rayner informed the Panel that WAM Get Involved were based in Slough and the ending of the SLA with RBWM, would change the way RBWM engaged with, supported and captured volunteers. The ‘Know your Neighbourhood’ function on the website was in the process of being refreshed and it could be used to help interested residents find local volunteering opportunities.

STRIVE

Councillor Price asked if Radian had been contacted to see if they offered something similar in Windsor. David Scott informed the Panel that RBWM had not provided match finding this year. Housing Solutions had done so instead. Radian would be contacted to see if they offered something similar in Windsor.

ACTION: Radian to be contacted

Councillor Price asked why some items such as CAB, Old Court and Norden Farm grants were not being discussed by the Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel even though in some cases the annual reports, updates and annual performance reports were considered by the Panel. It was confirmed that these currently were considered by Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Panel as they were grant funded activities. This overlapped with Communities interest in these activities and would be reconsidered for the budget process next year.

ACTION: Reconsider the overlap of activities between Overview and Scrutiny Panels for the budget process next year.

Councillor Price was concerned about the increase in green waste annual subscription charge in line with neighbouring authority charges. After a short discussion the Panel were advised that even after the increase, RBWM prices were still offering good value for money.

The proposed increases in Fly tipping and fees for dog fouling were warmly welcomed by the Panel.

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: The Panel noted the report and the three appendices after making the comments above.