THE CHALLENGE

The service required an online submission method that provided a quick and more efficient way for staff to register their interest(s) or submit a nil return as well as an improved collection and collation process to save the co-ordinators time and effort. 

There was also a need for a reporting mechanism driven from the new data to ensure that the Council was compliant in its duty to register interests and the receipt of gifts and hospitality and that the information could be interrogated to identify the number of returns for each Directorate, between a given time period and specific senior manager cohorts.

THE SOLUTION

The solution that was created resulted in a dashboard where individual staff could see their current and previous interests and gits submissions and that allowed them to submit new interests and gifts quickly and easily with a degree of pre-population to ensure time savings, but also accuracy when it came to reporting. This was all tied up at the end with a suite of reports to measure compliance and registration information across the organisation and individual departments where required.

The online system has been in operation for just over two years and there has been a significant increase in the number of returns across the Council, particularly in two Directorates where the previous response rates had been extremely poor at 36% and 55%. This year the overall return rate was 92% with improvements in the two identified Directorates returning 94% and 88% of their registers respectively. It has been the best rate of returns received.

User response to the new system has been over-whelmingly positive:

• It was very straightforward. Definitely preferable compared to having to print a document, fill it in and re-scan like previously.
• Very straightforward and easy
• Wow! How easy and straight forward was that. I am very impressed with how user friendly and easy it is.
• Saves on paper and has gifts and conflicts in same place so easier to find. I found the process easy to complete.
• The process was really easy so only positive from me. 
• Done! Straight forward.
• I have just done mine and it took me a round 30 seconds! Very quick and easy to use.
• Very easy and straight forward!
• Very quick and easy to use. Much better than having to do a paper version.
• It took about 2 seconds to complete, so it’s about 1000 x better than the paper version.
• Dead easy peasy :)

THE FUTURE

Moving forward the service and Pentagull will continue to make incremental improvements where applicable based on office feedback.