The General Purposes Committee of Wandsworth Council was scheduled to discuss proposals for migrating council members to Microsoft Office 365 and providing them with iPads, as well as the adoption of new byelaws for parks and open spaces across the borough. The meeting agenda also included a report on the member induction programme.

Member Induction Programme and Migration to Office 365

The committee was set to consider a report outlining a refreshed IT offer for council members following the local elections in May 2018. This includes migrating all returning and newly elected members to Microsoft Office 365, a cloud-based system for email and file storage accessible from any device. The report also recommended providing members with centrally configured iPads to support their work and move towards a paper-lite system, aligning with a council ambition agreed in 2014. This IT upgrade would be integrated into a new member induction process.

The report recommended that the General Purposes Committee recommend the Council approve revisions to Standing Orders concerning meeting summonses and notices to reflect the move to electronic communication. It also recommended that the Executive agree to the process for migrating members to Microsoft Office 365, approve the support arrangements including the provision of tablets, and note the progress on the member induction programme.

The migration to Office 365 is planned to occur after the May 2018 elections to minimise disruption. Members will receive training and support, and their email addresses will remain in the @wandsworth.gov.uk format. The provision of iPads is to be funded from the IT refresh programme within existing budgets. The move to paperless committees, which has had limited success previously, is being re-emphasised with the provision of these devices, with an estimated saving of £36,000 per year on printing agendas. The report also proposed moving to electronic payslips for members.

The member induction programme for 2018 is being developed around principles to equip members with the necessary knowledge, skills, and tools to undertake their roles effectively. This includes understanding their responsibilities, the Council's services, and key policy areas. The programme aims to be multi-thematic and facilitate attendance, incorporating feedback from existing members.

Park and Open Spaces Byelaws

The committee was also scheduled to discuss the adoption of new byelaws for parks and open spaces across the borough. This follows a consultation exercise and provisional approval from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in November 2017. The proposed byelaws would replace the existing Wandsworth Parks and Open Spaces Byelaws and cover additional areas that currently lack specific regulations.

The report recommended that the Council formally adopt and seal the new byelaws and approve the advertisement of a public notice of the Council's intention to apply for their confirmation. The byelaws cover a wide range of activities, including protection of the ground, wildlife, and the public, as well as regulations for horses, cycles, vehicles, play areas, games, sports, waterways, model aircraft, and other regulated activities.

The process for adopting the byelaws involves formal adoption by the Council, public notice, inspection by the public, application for confirmation by the DCLG, and finally, confirmation by the Secretary of State, with a proposed commencement date in July 2018. The costs associated with implementing these byelaws are to be met from existing budgets, with future enforcement falling under the responsibility of the Parks Police.