What is the policy / strategy / function / trying to achieve / do?    

This EqIA relates to the review of the council’s First Stop Shop Service.  The review has been necessitated by declining demand for the service as customer contact preferences have changed over recent years. This has been in part driven by the acceleration of digital technologies following the Covid-19 pandemic, also due to the increasing range of customer options provided by the council, through its digitalisation programme and the closure of the council’s Municipal Bank.

The review of the current operating model is required to ensure the service continues to meet the changing needs of customers whilst providing best value and a sustainable future delivery model.

The review proposes the following changes to the service to provide a future sustainable delivery model:

• The rationalisation of First Stop Shop offices;
• The creation of new Customer Hubs;
• The integration of the First Stop Shop Service into the existing housing locality employee structure; and
• The roll out of a ‘cashless’ financial transaction approach to all remaining offices (to be re-designated as Customer Hubs).

Rationalisation of First Stop Shop (FSS) Offices

It is proposed to close all FSS offices and integrate into each main housing locality. This includes Airdrie, Coatbridge, Cumbernauld, Motherwell and Wishaw. It is also proposed to temporarily locate Shotts FSS within Shotts Housing Office. Shotts FSS already operates on reduced operating hours, which would continue in the new operating model.

Adoption of ‘cashless’ payment transactional approach

It is proposed to roll out ‘cashless’ payment facilities i.e. card payment only across the Customer Hubs following the successful pilot of ‘cashless’ transactions in Cumbernauld.

Changes to the FSS establishment

The FSS establishment comprises 49.17FTE posts, of which 18.61 are permanent and 12.5 are temporary. The remainder are vacant posts. It is proposed that 24 FTEs are retained. This comprises permanent  FSS employees and temporary employees with over two years’ service.  The post of Customer Manager (NLC16) will be transferred to the Customer Service Hub within the Chief Executives service.  The post currently has management responsibility for both the FSS service and Customer Service Hub and will continue to have overall responsibility for managing frontline enquiries for housing  property repairs.

The post of Operations Manager (NLC10) will be incorporated into the housing locality structure to help ensure a smooth transition to the new operating model.  This post will be redesignated to Housing Coordinator. 

There are currently 12.5 FTE employees with temporary contracts who will be supported, in line with council’s Workforce Change Policy, to access vacancies appropriate to their skills set and experience. No permanent employees will be impacted by the deletion of posts.

There are no proposed changes to the designations of the Team Leader (Customer Service) and Customer Service Officer posts which are proposed to be transferred to the Housing Service.  These posts were graded NLC7 and NLC5 partly in recognition of the banking responsibilities previously undertaken in these roles.  To ensure there is no financial detriment to existing employees, a review of the existing job descriptions and responsibilities of the roles has been undertaken and alternative responsibilities identified, which subject to job evaluation, will retain the current grades.

If this is a budget saving, how will the saving be achieved?

This is not a budget-saving exercise, although the service redesign does result in a saving which is realised from the deletion of posts, many of which are vacancies.

If this policy is subject to the FSD what does it suggest about the impact or potential impact on socio-economic disadvantage? 

2% of FSS enquiries are for the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF).  Although the FSS offices are closing the service is being mainstreamed into housing localities which already provide income maximisation services and refer to the SWF where appropriate.  The housing locality teams provide dedicated income maximisers and it is considered that these proposals would improve the advice and assistance provided through closer alignment with housing, enabling improved skills and knowledge amongst FSS staff transferred.

The service redesign is aligned with the council’s overall ambition to provide services in the heart of communities with a no-wrong-door approach. The report sets out plans to provide housing surgeries in the communities to improve the extent of existing advice and reach.  This will help mitigate any adverse impact associated with the closure of the FSS offices, wherein potential FSS customers may not be able to access an office in the satellite areas, they could access a surgery. 

There are other possible impacts in relation to cashless transactions – research suggests that barriers still exist in relation to ‘cashless’ societies, these include financial literacy and digital connectivity barriers amongst others, with certain groups more affected than others.  This includes people affected by poverty, many of which share a protected characteristic.

Communities of interest is of relevance – with rural communities more affected by this service redesign than more connected central areas.  Older people, people on low incomes, people who experience homelessness, lone parents, women and other groups of people who are more at risk of poverty may be more affected potentially than others by this service redesign.

Give details of the impact it has on groups and individuals

Potential impact identified for older people; younger people; disabled people; ethnic minority groups, women, pregnant women and new mothers; LGBTQ+ community; children and families; care experienced young people, people who experience homelessness and FSS employees.

It is considered that there are both positive and adverse potential impacts.  Adverse impacts are primarily associated with the closure of the FSS satellite offices and the adoption of a ‘cashless’ approach, as research suggests that particular population groups (as referred to) face greater challenges in relation to digital connectivity and ‘cashless’ methods due to a higher prevalence of poverty and financial literacy.  Other challenges are set out in the EqIA that relate to language barriers experienced by ethnic minority groups. 

Positive impacts are associated with the provision of local housing surgeries and in the longer-term the development of Community Hubs which will deliver advice, help and assistance at the heart of communities.  Additional benefits may be experienced by particular population groups in relation to digital methods, offering increased convenience.

FSS employees are directly impacted through the deletion of some posts.  This affects a small number of temporary FSS employees with under two years’ service. 

There are several intersectional considerations across groups/characteristics, i.e. homelessness affects younger people more, and therefore there may be compounding impacts, the majority of FSS employees are women etc.  This is explored further in the full EqIA.

What actions / measures will be put in place or are planned to mitigate any adverse impact or promote equality?

There are several measures that could be taken to strengthen the proposals and mitigate any associated risk. 

These include monitoring and evaluating the housing surgeries in terms of effectiveness to meet any need arising from the closure of the FSS offices and change in provision. This will also help inform future service provision for the Community Hubs.

Evaluation and monitoring should take place regularly to enable the surgeries to respond to changing needs, with a robust underpinning data/recording monitoring framework which captures information on the customer profile, volume and nature of enquiries.

Housing surgeries should be flexible in nature and be able to evolve to reflect community needs.

A comprehensive training package should be developed and implemented for FSS employees transferring to the housing service.

The cashless transaction approach should be monitored both in terms of any change on council revenue and on meeting customer needs.  In respect of the latter, to help ensure that customers receive support and advice as required to set up appropriate payment facilities and that information is widely available to customers on the alternative options should they wish to continue to pay by cash.

Development and implementation of a communications plan to increase awareness of the changes and supports available to customers should be progressed.

What is the result / recommendations of the EqIA?

Introduce the policy with justification regarding potential adverse impact.