Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Commercial and Capital Strategy.

Appendices 2 and 3 (not for publication by virtue of paragraph 3 of schedule 12A, Part 1 of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended).

Decision

(a)  That Dorset Council makes the necessary arrangements to leave the Stour Valley & Poole Partnership (SVPP) and bring these services in-house to be delivered by an expanded Dorset Council Revenues & Benefits Team as set out in the business case attached at appendix 3 of the report;

(b)  That authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Corporate Development, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Commercial and Capital Strategy, to implement recommendation (a) above, including authority to give notice to terminate the Council’s involvement in the Stour Valley and Poole Partnership;

(c)  That the Place and Resources Overview Committee be asked to support the Portfolio Holder in identifying service development and transformational opportunities as a result of integrating the service into Dorset Council

(d)  That the Place and Resources Scrutiny Committee be asked to review the Council’s success in achieving the benefits of both integration and further service development and transformation.

Reason for the decision

The creation of a single revenues and benefits service for Dorset Council will provide a better level of customer service for Dorset Council residents, with a single process and contact details, making it easier, clearer and more accessible for people to pay council tax and make benefits claims. As such, it is the best strategic fit for Dorset Council.

Decision - The future of revenues and benefits services at Dorset Council - Dorset Council

The Portfolio Holder for Finance, Commercial and Capital Strategy introduced a report which set out proposals for the future arrangements of the revenues and benefits service for the residents in the Dorset Council area.  Following consideration of the various options, the report recommended the creation of a single revenues and benefits service for Dorset Council, to provide a better level of customer service to residents.

The Portfolio Holder advised that this proposal was not reflection on the service that had been provided by Stour Valley and Poole Partnership or the in-house provision for the areas of Purbeck, West Dorset and Weymouth & Portland; but it was now time to review this administrative arrangement and to take advantage of control and flexibility, improving the customer experience for Dorset residents that an in-house service would provide.

A short film recording was shared with members setting out the vision for future customer services.

In response to questions relating to severance costs, the portfolio Holder advices that it was possible that there would be some cost involved, however the savings would be recovered in just over a 2-year period.  He also indicated that there would be costs involved if Dorset Council continued to work within partnership.

The Vice-Chairman of Place and Resources Overview Committee advised that the committee members had considered the proposal at its meeting on 10 November 2021 and they were completely supportive of the recommendations before Cabinet.

In presenting the report’s recommendations, the Portfolio Holder advised that he wished to strengthen the proposals and the involvement of the overview and scrutiny committees in terms of review, development and transformation.

Cabinet members supported the proposals and indicated a “minded to” view to support the recommendation.

Decision

(a)  That Dorset Council makes the necessary arrangements to leave the Stour Valley & Poole Partnership (SVPP) and bring these services in-house to be delivered by an expanded Dorset Council Revenues & Benefits Team as set out in the business case attached at appendix 3 of the report;

(b)  That authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Corporate Development, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Commercial and Capital Strategy, to implement recommendation (a) above, including authority to give notice to terminate the Council’s involvement in the Stour Valley and Poole Partnership;

(c)  That the Place and Resources Overview Committee be asked to support the Portfolio Holder in identifying service development and transformational opportunities as a result of integrating the service into Dorset Council

(d)  That the Place and Resources Scrutiny Committee be asked to review the Council’s success in achieving the benefits of both integration and further service development and transformation.

Reason for the decision

The creation of a single revenues and benefits service for Dorset Council will provide a better level of customer service for Dorset Council residents, with a single process and contact details, making it easier, clearer and more accessible for people to pay council tax and make benefits claims. As such, it is the best strategic fit for Dorset Council.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director, Finance and Commercial.

Please note this report includes two exempt appendices.

The Chairman noted that there were two exempt appendices associated with the report and that the committee would need to resolve to move into exempt business if councillors wished to discuss these.

The Executive Director of Corporate Development introduced a report which set out proposals for the future provision of revenues and benefits services for Dorset Council.  The report recommended the creation of a single revenues and benefits service for Dorset Council, to provide a better level of customer service for residents, with a single process and contact details, making it easier, clearer and more accessible for people to pay council tax and make benefits claims.  A short film was shown to the committee to set out the vision for future customer service.

Consideration was given to the issues arising from the report and during discussion the following points were raised:

·            Opportunities to integrate council services

·            Discussion around potential timescale for operation on single customer accounts – work was ongoing and timescales would be managed through the transformation programme

·            A request was made for a councillor webinar on this area of work

·            A point was noted that Overview should keep a watch on debt recovery issues in the council

·            Arrangements for scrutiny of the revenues and benefits service moving forward.  Recommendation 3 in the report recognised the role of the Place and Resources Scrutiny Committee in this area and it was noted that performance could be incorporated into recommendation 3

·            The movement of the eastern and northern areas onto the new system would be carefully managed

·            Further discussions would need to be held, including around financial implications, once the report had been through the democratic processes.

It was proposed by V Pothecary seconded by C Jones

It was noted that the additional words ‘and performance’ would be included in recommendation 3.

‘Minded to’ Recommendation to Cabinet

1.         Agree that Dorset Council makes the necessary arrangements to leave the Stour Valley & Poole Partnership (SVPP) and brings these services in-house to be delivered by an expanded Dorset Council Revenues & Benefits Team as set out in the business case attached to the report at appendix 3;

2.         Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Corporate Development, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance, Commercial and Capital Strategy, to implement recommendation 1, including authority to give notice to terminate the Council’s involvement in the Stour Valley and Poole Partnership;

3.         Request that the Place and Resources Scrutiny Committee oversee the future Service’s integration into Dorset Council, where it can support further transformation, insight, strategic service development and performance, as set out in the business case.

The Executive Director of Corporate Development, having heard the debate, confirmed the ‘minded to’ Recommendation to Cabinet, under delegated powers on behalf of the informal meeting of the Place and Resources Overview Committee.