Select Committee on Public Administration Minutes of Evidence



SUPPLEMENTARY MEMORANDUM BY BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL (CP56A)

BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL—MONITORING RESPONSES TO PUBLIC INQUIRIES

  During our session with your Committee on Wednesday 29th March 2000, the issue of City Council response rates to inquiries for members of the public was raised. In response, I undertook to supply your Committee with supplementary evidence which you will find attached.

  Most Departments of the Council have a 14 day response target to letters from the public and the results of our monitoring exercises for the previous three years (information for 2000-01 are not yet available) are clearly laid out in Table 1. In addition a general 20 second answering target for telephone calls also applies and similar monitoring results for this target are shown in Table 2.

  Can I at this point express my appreciation for the opportunity to address your Committee. Both Councillor Howell and I found the debate extremely stimulating and enjoyable and we are both looking forward to your final report.

Sir Michael Lyons
Chief Executive

5 April 2000



BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL

ANSWERING LETTERS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC 1998-99

Table 1: 14-day target

1998-99
1997-981996-97
DepartmentNumber in sample Number in target% in target % in target% in target
Commercial Services10 10100100 100
Economic Development17 1710092 97
Education6563 978978
Environmental Services980 8959188 99
Finance4,3113,518 829599
Housing1,9651,523 788582
Legal Services1,1891,189 10010099
Leisure & Community Services179 1729684 90
Neighbourhood Advice & Benefits13 13100100 99
Personnel & Organisation23 208785 99
Planning & Architecture611 3305451 63
Policy Division1714 828199
Public Relations33 1008899
Social Services813705 878290
Transportation1,084962 898068
Overall Total11,2809,434 849286


BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL

ANSWERING TELEPHONE CALLS 1998-99

Table 2: 20 second target

1998-99
1997-981996-97
DepartmentNumber in sample Number in target% in target % in target% in target
Commercial Services1,387 1,05576100 100
Economic Development521 4959595 98
Education1,8111,550 8610095
Environmental Services3,394 3,6829485 100
Finance176165 948693
Housing2,9482,567 877488
Legal Services297253 857993
Leisure & Community Services1,012 8668687 97
Neighbourhood Advice & Benefits2,062 1,7988795 93
Personnel & Organisation239 2279584 93
Planning & Architecture1,609 1,4569098 97
Policy Division1,1821,131 9610093
Public Relations1,183 1,12995100 93
Social Services10,376 9,1678887 93
Transportation1,2011,127 948991
Overall Total29,93826,668 899494


 
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Prepared 17 October 2000