Agenda item

Report of the Director of Corporate Resources – To provide an overview of the proposed integration and resultant structure of the Benefits, Local Taxation and Customer Services.

It was noted that 60% of enquiries to Customers services  were benefits and local taxation related . The proposals for the integarartion for these two services offered the opportunity to improve the relationship between these two services and reduce costs which were associated with delays in passing information between the two services.. Where there was in complete information collated  at the first point of contact with the service  it would result in delays and associated costs for the council.  In joining these two services  there had been an overall examination of how to utilise the first contact with the customer/resident to ensure that the transaction with the services was simple and  the full information collated . This would be achieved by adding back office expertise to the frontline contact with customers. Following the integration of the two services and further to  some staff taking up voluntary redundancy  there was a total of 14 posts to be removed from the structure. Members of the committee were asked to consider and agree in principal to the proposed integration and restructure  of the service.  An illustration of the proposed new restructure was set out in Appendix 4 for the committee to consider.  A period of staff consultation  would follow on the proposals and a final report considered at the September meeting of the Committee.

It was clarified that under the new structure changes to circumstances could be reported to the Council by telephone contact as well as in person at the customer service centres.

Understanding was sought on whether support with benefit claims included both council and housing benefit. It was reported that the restructure of the service had been done with the customer perspective in mind and the service was aware of the need to seek an update to a  housing benefit claims as well as receiving information on a council tax claim where required.

In response to a question about the future of the service and whether the restructure was being completed with a prospect of a shared service in mind, it was noted that there were no plans to share this service with Waltham Forest. The main focus of the service was to improve the servicing of calls.

Information was sought on the latest status of the council’s relationship with the Citizens advice bureau, a key local service which received benefit queries from residents.  It was noted that the good links with this service were maintained with meetings and information shared on the current trends in benefit queries. In response to an individual experience, of a query taking a number of months to resolve, it was noted that there were some exceptional and complex cases where sometimes an immediate resolution could not be reached.

In proposing to the committee that  the recommendations of the report be agreed, the Chair asked that  the follow up report in September  include information on: how the individual services/teams  in Benefits and Local Taxation and Customer Services were being joined up , how services will be delivered and what is  expected to be achieved from the  integration and restructure.

RESOLVED

1. That the overview of the current and proposed shape of the service set out in appendices 2,3,and 4 be  noted.

2. The rationale and key elements of the proposed integration were endorsed.

3. That following the completion of consultation the proposals contained in the report for the integration of Benefits , Local Taxation and Customer services be the subject of a further report to the Corporate Committee for final decision.