Individual Executive Decision Notice

Report title Allocation of Corporate Contingency – Potentially Violent Persons Register (PVPR)


Decision designation GREEN

Cabinet member with lead responsibility Councillor Louise Miles, Cabinet Member for Resources
Councillor Sandra Samuels, Cabinet Member for Governance

Wards affected All Wards

Accountable Director Claire Nye, Director of Finance
Mark Taylor, Deputy Chief Executive

Originating service ICT
Accountable employee Gail Rider Head of ICT
Tel 01902 553496

Email Gail.Rider@wolverhampton.gov.uk
Report to be/has been considered by Project Assurance Group
Deputy Chief Executive Leadership team
Strategic Executive Board 1 August 2019
1 August 2019
1 August 2019

Summary
At the Cabinet meeting on 20 February 2019, Cabinet approved that authority continues to be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Resources, in consultation with the Director of Finance, to approve the allocation of the Corporate Contingency to individual projects in order that corporate priorities may be addressed in a more agile and timely manner.

Recommendation for action:
That the Cabinet Member for Resources and the Cabinet Member for Governance, in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Deputy Chief Executive:

1. Allocate £50,000 from the Corporate Contingency within the ICT Capital Programme to the Potentially Violent Persons Register project enabling the implementation of an improved solution in the 2019-2020 financial year.

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1.0 Purpose

1.1 To approve the allocation of £50,000 from the Corporate Contingency within the ICT Capital Programme to the Potentially Violent Persons Register project enabling the implementation of an improved solution in the 2019-2020 financial year.


2.0 Background to the Potential Violent Persons Register

2.1 The purpose of a Potentially Violent Persons Register (PVPR) is to ensure staff safety through the provision of recorded data of potentially violent person (PVP) for all those who need it. Also, highlighting what specific precautions might need to be taken when interacting with an individual PVP.

2.2 Duplication of data is prevalent across the council as various service areas record data in different applications. For instance, the Carefirst system can be utilised to flag a PVP. This information is visible to all Carefirst users but colleagues who do not have access to this system would not be aware of any PVP. Wolverhampton Homes generate their own PVPR in isolation of that held by the Council. With multiple data sources there is a risk that staff safety is compromised.

2.3 As a result of works carried out, to review the usability and functionality of the currently operated by the Council, it is considered that investment into an improved solution would be beneficial.

2.4 An improved solution would require streamlined functionality and the ability to integrate with all current applications through application programming interfaces. Providing an up to date and integrated PVPR to be used and accessible by all relevant business areas.

2.5 It is the aim to implement a council wide PVPR that is the true source of data for any PVP within the local authority area accessible by all relevant business areas internally to the council and including Wolverhampton Homes.


3.0 Options

3.1 Do nothing - the current PVPR will remain in operation. The application is not supported on its current platform (Sharepoint 2010). There is a risk that PVPs are not always captured and that data currently logged is not maintained and up to date.

3.2 Do minimum – update the current platform from Sharepoint 2010 to Sharepoint online. This will ensure the register is stable and allow the integration of Wolverhampton Homes data with that council services and stored in one location.

3.3 Do something – implement an integrated cloud based PVPR which will be the sole point of information for all PVP details and have the ability to integrate between various in-house applications currently in operation including Northgate, Carefirst, Capita One.
4.0 Reasons for decisions

4.1 It is the aim to implement a council wide PVPR that is the true source of data for any PVP within the local authority area accessible by all relevant business areas internally to the council and including Wolverhampton Homes. For this reason, the preferred option would be to implement an integrated cloud based PVPR.

4.2 This can be achieved through a middleware application called Fibonacci. Currently we have PVP data held in and across multiple applications. Fibonacci enables users to search all integrated applications removing the need to search each one individually.

4.3 Implementation of an updated PVPR will allow users to input, store, track and report on specific PVP data. All staff will have the information available to them in order to ensure that they have a clear understanding of any PVP they might come across and what precautions they would need to take for each individual case.


5.0 Financial implications

5.1 This report seeks approval to the allocation of £50,000 from the Corporate Contingency within the ICT Capital Programme to the Potentially Violent Persons Register project enabling the implementation and integration of an improved solution in the 2019-2020 financial year.

5.2 The £50,000 capital investment will be accommodated within the approved ICT capital programme. The investment cost includes those associated with the acquisition and implementation of the cloud solution, Fibonacci application integration and business analyst support.

5.3 In addition to the capital cost of implementation (£50,000), there are associated running costs estimated in the region of £6,000 per annum which will be met from existing General Fund revenue budgets across the business.


6.0 Legal implications

6.1 There are no direct legal implications arising as a result of this report.


7.0 Equalities implications

7.1 There are no direct equalities implications arising as a result of this report.

8.0 Environmental implications

8.1 There are no direct environmental implications arising as a result of this report.


9.0 Human resources implications

9.1 There are no direct human resources implications arising as a result of this report.


10.0 Corporate landlord implications

10.1 There are no direct Corporate Landlord implications arising as a result of this report.


11.0 Health and wellbeing implications

11.1 The implementation of an updated PVPR will ensure that all staff have a clear understanding of any PVPs they might come across and what precautions they would need to take for each individual case.

11.2 Sharing relevant information about potential risk with employees can make them feel more valued, improve morale, increase confidence, increase productivity, reduce sickness levels, increase staff retention maintaining an experienced and skilled workforce.

11.3 Health & Safety at Work Act; Section 2 deals with employers' duties, and states: "It shall be the duty of all employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health safety and welfare of all their employees whilst they are at work".


12.0 Schedule of background papers

12.1 Cabinet, 20 February 2019, Capital programme 2018-2019 to 2022-2023 quarter three review and 2019-2020 to 2023-2024 budget strategy.