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Archive South Eastern

Jan 01
1970

The Credit Crunch - The effects on Revenues & Benefit Services 21/10/2008
Thanet District Council (Margate Offices)

The Credit Crunch - The effects on Revenues & Benefit Services 21/10/2008

The phrase "credit crunch" has been so widely used over the past year that it has been added to the latest edition of the Oxford English Dictionary.

Bernadette Whitlock explains the effects more expensive mortgages, dearer credit cards and in the worst cases repossession and bankruptcy has on Revenues and Benefits services.

Mar 15
2011

25 March 2011 The Leadership Challenge of a Lifetime

25 March 2011 The Leadership Challenge of a Lifetime

The next meeting will be at Swale Borough Council Offices and the speaker will be Andy Milner. The meeting starts at 2pm with tea and coffee provided from 1.30pm. Location: Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne ME10 3HT

Jan 01
1970

Minutes of the Meeting at Shepway DC 19th March 2009 *Sponsored by Eagle NVQs

<B> Minutes of the Meeting at Shepway DC 19th March 2009 *Sponsored by Eagle NVQs

 

Through slides and video Mark showed how much work had been done at the London Borough of Croydon since 2004 to put them in the position where they won the Benefits Team of the year.

As an introduction he gave a brief demographic of the area, Croydon is the largest London Borough and is bordered by both inner London councils and District Council.  Within benefits they currently have 36,000 live claims.  The corporate object for the Borough was "Delivering high quality public services and improving value for money". 

In 2004 the benefits service had been outsources to liberata and was described as one of the worst in the country, it was taking 70 days for new claims and 38 days for change of circumstances to be processed.  The staff had little contact with the public and everything was dealt with in writing.  The template for success was:

People; Customers; Planning; Technical; Performance. 

Mark stated that planning was the key to success and this was reiterated throughout the talk.  There were videos of interviews with members of staff at all levels describing how life had changed at Croydon.  Not only did they have to changed the way worked was carried out but also the ethos of the service needed to be changed.

Some of the changes made were with the staff, they now have meaningful monthly one to ones with their mananger which is a two way process.  Rather than writing to customers for further information they now try to telephone and speak to them first.  The staff in the video confirmed that this made their life easier.  As Mark himself stated it can take staff a long time to learn the legislative requirements of benefits we cannot expect customers to understand what we need just by issuing a letter.   As part of this they have reduced their benefit application form from 44 pages to 27.  Recognising success is also important, let people know that they are being listened to.  They have managed to reduce staff turnover from 15% per year to 5%.

In conclusion Mark emphased that planning is the key to avoid and deal with any surprises, also talk to staff not just about performance or mistakes.  for Croydon the benefits service was a mini version of the corporate plan for taking Croydon forward, the service has been used to test home working and the link between back and front office.  As he said, the journey continues, no-one can afford to rest on their laurels.

 A vote of thanks was given by the association treasurer Patrick Knight

May 10
2019

IRRV South Eastern Association Annual General Meeting
Friday 10 May 2019 4.30 pm - Central Park Stadium, Church Road, Sittingbourne ME10 3SB

IRRV South Eastern Association Annual General Meeting

The 2019 IRRV South Eastern Association AGM will take place on Friday 10 May commencing at 4.30 pm. Marston Holdings, and Rundles & Co, have very kindly offered to sponsor the meeting which will be followed by dinner and an evening of greyhound racing.

marstons_logo   &   Rundles logo

If possible we would like to have representation from every Kent authority and the VOA at the meeting, and it would be great to see as many members there as possible.

If you are an IRRV member and you would like to be nominated to stand for the executive please contact Zoe Kent (zoekent@swale.gov.uk). The agenda for the meeting will be sent out at the beginning of May, please send any agenda items by Friday 26 April 2019.
 
If you would like to attend the AGM please email zoekent@swale.gov.uk by Friday 26 April 2019 to receive the menu options for the evening.

May 10
2019

IRRV South Eastern Association Annual General Meeting
Friday 10 May 2019 4.30 pm - Central Park Stadium, Church Road, Sittingbourne ME10 3SB

IRRV South Eastern Association Annual General Meeting

The 2019 IRRV South Eastern Association AGM will take place on Friday 10 May commencing at 4.30 pm. Marston Holdings, and Rundles & Co, have very kindly offered to sponsor the meeting which will be followed by dinner and an evening of greyhound racing.

marstons_logo   &   Rundles logo

If possible we would like to have representation from every Kent authority and the VOA at the meeting, and it would be great to see as many members there as possible.

If you are an IRRV member and you would like to be nominated to stand for the executive please contact Zoe Kent (zoekent@swale.gov.uk). The agenda for the meeting will be sent out at the beginning of May, please send any agenda items by Friday 26 April 2019.
 
If you would like to attend the AGM please email zoekent@swale.gov.uk by Friday 26 April 2019 to receive the menu options for the evening.

Jan 01
1970

Revenues Services - The Search for Excellence 13/11/2008
Canterbury City Council (Guildhall, Westgate Towers)

Revenues Services - The Search for Excellence 13/11/2008

Can you demonstrate excellence in service delivery, effective administrative procedures and a customer-focussed service?  Want to know how?

Roy Thomson provides an insight into the achievements of Lincoln’s Revenues Service that resulted in them being crowned with the prestigious award, Revenues Team of the Year 2007.   

Jan 01
2015

Do we have your email address?

Do we have your email address?

If you are not currently receiving e-mails please let us know.  You can be added to our mailing list by contacting the Association Secretary, Sharon Harvey using the link below.

Click here to e-mail Sharon Harvey

Mar 02
2011
Dec 25
2018

Christmas wishes from the South Eastern Association

Christmas wishes from the South Eastern Association

The South Eastern Association would like to wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas, with best wishes for 2019.

Jan 01
1970

Minutes of Meeting at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council 25th February 2009 *Sponsored by Capita*

Minutes of Meeting at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council 25th February 2009  *Sponsored by Capita*

The meeting started with a presentation from Dave West Business Development Manager from Capita LGS who gave a talk about their Voice Risk Analysis system (VRA).  In his talk he focused on the work they had done for authorities in checking entitlement to single person discounts.  The system works by linking into the telephone call and assessing whether the information being given is low risk or high risk of being the truth.  The system does this by firstly asking a test question asking the customer to spell their name.  Throughout the call the system will register either LR (Low risk) or HR (high risk).  The risk is assessed not by what the customer says but on the tone of voice and behavioural changes in speech patterns.  Dave played a couple of recordings of calls that had been received to show how high risk was identified.  They have worked with many authorities using this system and found that many people admitted any failure to notify of changes as a result of the phone call and that they found there was an average of 10% to 15% of people were high risk.  One authority managed to increase their council tax due by £241,000 as a result of the calls and to date have collected around 60% of this amount.

Bill McCafferty - Remote working at Tunbridge Wells

Bill gave a presentation to show the :Background, Benefits to Tunbridge Wells, Benefits to Staff, The French Connection.  there are approximately 30 members of staff in Revs and Bens with 7 working full time from home and 11 working at home and in the office.

in relation to remote working at Tunbridge.  In 2005 as a result of under accommodation the inspection staff in Revenues and visiting staff in Benefits started remote working to free up space for the remainder of Revenues to be accommodated in one office.  There were teething problems relating to internet access etc but these were ironed out by the IT section.

The Benefits to the council have been a decrease in sickness levels, in 2004 their record was the worst in the authotity and now they have one of the best.  There has been a marked improvement in productivity in Revenues, with some officers getting through twice as much work at home as at work.

The benefits to staff have meant that some staff still have a job! There have been specific circumstances particulary for staff with children and working from home has enabled them to keep their job.  Working from home has reduced the travelling costs for staff, and many are happier at home spending time with their children.

The French Connection. One member of staff moved to France and wished to continue working for Tunbridge Wells, after lengthy discussions with HR, Legal and IT sections this was arranged.  The staff member concerned was required to complete a new contract of employment which included no requirement to come into the office except for a yearly appraisal (interim done by phone). 

 

Jul 05
2019

IRRV South Eastern Association 2019 Summer Dinner
Chilston Park, Lenham, Maidstone – Friday 5 July 2019

IRRV South Eastern Association 2019 Summer Dinner

The IRRV South Eastern Association are pleased to announce that our summer event will take place at Chilston Park on Friday 5 July 2019; further details will follow shortly.

 

 

Jan 01
1970

The First Shared Service Model in London 15/12/2008
Dover District Council

The First Shared Service Model in London 15/12/2008

On 21 April 2008 Barking and Dagenham and Havering Councils became the first councils in London to provide joint services.  The Councils are working together to achieve excellence in service delivery.  Has it worked?   

Jan 01
1970
Jan 01
1970

Minutes of meeting at Swale Borough Council 20th January 2009 *Sponsored by Baker Tilly*

Minutes of meeting at Swale Borough Council 20th January 2009 *Sponsored by Baker Tilly*

The meeting started with a presentation from Sanjeeve Sharma from Baker Tilly LLP Insolvency Practitioners who outlined the services that his company can provide for local authorities.  He outlined a few cases of his own experience in relation to insolvency procedures.  He stated that any local authorities that are interested in the services that Baker Tilly can provide contact him on 01273 223475.

The main speaker of the day was Chris Rundle from Rundle & Co bailiffs.  Chris has been a bailiff since 1989 initially working for other companies, he set up on his own in 1992 and now has approximately 50 local authority contracts which he has acquired by a mixture of recommendation and limited strategic acquisition.  He told the association what it feels like to be a bailiff, essentially the job is working on your own trying to see people who don't want to see you.  A large part of the job is driving which in itself is stressful enough!  Most days are boring with four out of five doors knocked on not being answered.  The bailiff can live in a constant state of fear, fear of violence, fear of the unknown.  There is no way to judge what will happen when someone answers the door.  The person could pay up in full or they could threaten the bailiff with anything from a baseball bat to a gun or knife.  The most common thing that happens is that the bailiff gets pushed from pillar to post, the wife answers the door, but she doesn't deal with the debt so she rings the husband who takes 30 minutes or more to arrive, he has no money.  All the bailiff leaves with is promises or money at the end of the week or month.  So time spent with no money earned.

His advice to Local Authority staff is not to tell the payer not to let the bailiff in as this is disengenious, if the bailiff is allowed in the property they can assertain whether there is anything worth levying on and how to proceed with the case.

Chris illustrated his presentation with some anecdotes from his past.  Which included having a cup of coffee thrown over him and being attacked in a pub with a bar stool before the landlord attempted to throw him through the window.

His greatest problem now is motivating his bailiffs, he knows that bailiffs move constantly between the companies.  He holds team meetings in restaurants and arranges race meetings in an effort to show them that they are appreciated. 

He can see that there are going to be problems in the near future with the credit crunch, but as he pointed out bailiffs have not had a payrise in 15 years.  In response to questions asked after his presentation he said that the most expensive thing that he has levied on is a million pound yatch and the most unusual was a pet dog.

Oct 12
2009

Meeting Friday 6th November 2009

Meeting Friday 6th November 2009

Paul Howarth "Housing Benefit Reform" and Philip Inglis "Business Rates Revaluation 2010". Sponsored by Capita Software Services. Venue - Canterbury City Council (Guildhall, not Council Offices)

Paul Howarth, Head of Housing Benefit Strategy, Department for Work and Pensions -  "Housing Benefit Reform"

A benefit system is being created fit for the 21st Century.  It shall be simple to understand, well targeted and empowing.  Paul Howarth explains how this can be achieved.

Philip Inglis & Laurie Hulse, Valuation Office Agency Folkestone - "Business Rates Revaluation 2010"

The new draft Rateable Values became available on 1st October 2009.  Philip Inglis explains the 2010 Revaluations and their impact within Business Rates services.

Format for the session;

1.00pm ~ Arrival and buffet lunch for attendees and speakers

2.00pm ~ Meeting commences with an introduction from the Association President

2.05pm ~ Presentation from Capita

2.35pm ~ Part 1 - Paul Howarth "Housing Benefit Reform"

3.20pm ~ Questions from attendees

3.30pm ~ Part 2 - Phil Inglis & Laurie Hulse "Business Rates Revaluation 2010"

4.15pm ~ Questions from attendees

4.30pm ~ Close

Feb 05
2019

February 2019 IRRV South Eastern Association meeting
Tuesday 5 February 2019 - vulnerable customers and ethical recovery processes

February 2019 IRRV South Eastern Association meeting

Our second meeting of 2019 will take place on Tuesday 5 February. We are pleased to announce our speaker will be Dave Chapman from Rossendales. Dave will be presenting on dealing with vulnerability and suicidal disclosures, and an analysis of an ethical recovery process.

The meeting will be held at Swale House in Sittingbourne with refreshments from 1.30pm for a 2.00pm start.

Feb 05
2019

February 2019 IRRV South Eastern Association meeting
Tuesday 5 February 2019 - vulnerable customers and ethical recovery processes

February 2019 IRRV South Eastern Association meeting

Our second meeting of 2019 will take place on Tuesday 5 February. We are pleased to announce our speaker will be Dave Chapman from Rossendales. Dave will be presenting on dealing with vulnerability and suicidal disclosures, and an analysis of an ethical recovery process.

The meeting will be held at Swale House in Sittingbourne with refreshments from 1.30pm for a 2.00pm start.

Jan 01
1970

South Eastern Association Annual Dinner

<B>South Eastern Association Annual Dinner<B>

The evening commenced with the reception and a delicious three course meal.

Following dinner the South Eastern Association President, Andrew Stevens gave a speech and handed over to next years President Tracy Jagger. 

The National President followed with a speech and a presentation to Executive Commitee Member Jim Coules in recognition for his service to the IRRV.

Following the meal, some people decided to take the ghost tour, whilst others decided to get a head start on the corporate casino tables. 

We were very pleased to welcome back David and Liz Magor, National President, Bob Trahern and immediate past President Allan Traynor and his partner Dee. 

This was a fantastic evening and our thanks are extended to Chris Rundle of Rundle and Co for their sponsorship.

Jan 01
1970

The Realities of Bailiff Life 20/01/2009
Swale Borough Council (Sittingbourne)

The Realities of Bailiff Life  20/01/2009

Bailiffs are authorised to collect debt and can remove and sell a person's possessions in order to pay money owed to an organisation.  Straightforward in theory, but what about in practice?  Chris Rundle explains the realities of life as a bailiff.

Jan 01
1970

Association Programme 2008/09

Association Programme 2008/09

If you have queries regarding the 2008/09 programme please contact our Association Secretary, Sharon Harvey on the link below.

Jan 01
1970
Jan 01
1970

Minutes of Meeting at Swale BC on Wednesday 19th March 2008 **Sponsored by Equita**

Minutes of Meeting at Swale BC on Wednesday 19th March 2008  **Sponsored by Equita**

Paul’s presentation provided us with an insight of the Tribunal Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 and the implications it will have on our future working practices.  Paul explained that the 2003 White Paper - 'Effective Enforcement' looked at options for reform to bring in a more modern approach to enforcement, Paul advised that there is a need for more consistency in the current legislation.  Paul explained that the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill was introduced in November 2006 mainly as a result of the alleged misrepresentation of powers by bailiffs in Whistle Blower 2006.  The Act was given Royal Assent in July 2007 and May 2008 will see the implementation and development plans for the consultation on the regulations.  The regulations Paul explained would provide the detail of how the Act is going to work in practice.

Paul advised that the Act's key features will include a new enhanced extended certification process for bailiffs, evidence that bailiffs have undertaken training, abolished Distress for Rent and an upfront fee payable by all creditors.  On the subject of fees Paul advised that no set fee has yet been mentioned, he added that he has yet to find out where the fees of £42.50 that most people are referring to has come from.  With reference to training Paul advised that the Enforcement Services Association are currently working with the IRRV to form a joint vocational qualification, this is still in its early stages as nobody knows the details of the regulations.

Paul concluded that, as the consultation document will not be circulated until May 2008, it is unlikely that the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 will come into effect from 1 April 2009.  Paul advised that a more realistic timescale is likely to be 1 April 2010. 

For a copy of Paul's presentation, please click on the link below.

Jan 01
1970

Minutes of meeting at Dover DC Monday 15th December 2008

Minutes of meeting at Dover DC Monday 15th December 2008

Jeff and Bola talked about the First Shared Service in London.  This is a revolutionary shared services initiative with no other service like it in London.  There is a genuine partnership as both share the risks and the benefits.

The talk started with a brief demographic of both authorities.  LBBD has a high proportion of older and younger residents with low levels of literacy and high deprivation.  LBH is the 3rd largest geographic borough in London with high levels of older residents and two areas of deprivation.

A feasibilty study was undertaken with funding from the North East London Partnership and as a result of this the project was awarded to IRRV solutions in December 2006.  The drivers for change included service resilience, improve performance, value for money and shared risks and returns.  One of the things that LBBD wanted to do as a result of the shared services was to change their software supplier to the same as LBH.  The first thing that they found was that it was not as easy as deciding to share, other departments need to be involved including HR, ICT, Legal and finance.  Also they both had to get confirmation from members for the go ahead. The decision was made to start with business rates as this is a small area and both authorities had experienced staff who were coming to the end of their careers.

The major thing that came out of the talk is that Project Management is the key to success.  LBH supplied a full time project manager and there was one with IRRV solutions.  They wrote their own partnership agreement and there was a project board made up of equal members from each authority.  This board is now the governance board from April 2008 when the partnership came into effect. 

What was essential to make the project work? A common vision and goal and the will power to succeed which has come from the top and filtered down.  The nature of the project, this was a partnership of equals and not a take over by one authority.  And communication was important with staff and stakeholders.  Continual monitoring of the project by the governance board is imperative.

Jan 01
1970

Minutes of Meeting at Medway UA on Wednesday 13th February 2008 **Sponsored by RB Solutions**

Minutes of Meeting at Medway UA on Wednesday 13th February 2008 **Sponsored by RB Solutions**

Bill Lovell presented us with an overview of shared services in Local Authorities and outlined his own involvement in the CenSus Partnership - Adur DC, Horsham DC and Mid Sussex DC.

Bills presentation was delivered in two parts, the first, an overview of shared services in Revenues and the second, a brief overview of the work that Bill did with the CenSus Partnership. 

In the first part of his presentation, Bill provided us with a practical approach to shared services.  He outlined the factors to take into account when considering shared services particularly when predicting the expected outcome.  Bill looked at the advantages of shared services such as more resources being available, greater opportunity for personal development and promotion and overall, providing a better service.  However, Bill did make it clear that implementing change is a significant investment and ultimately, change costs money. 

Bill outlined his work with Adur DC, Horsham DC and Mid Sussex DC, forming the CenSus Partnership.  He explained that the first phase of the project was to share I.T. services and obtain a common ground in computer systems and chossing the right EDRMS (Electronic Document and Records Management System) is part way to the key to success.  The second phase was shared services in Revenues, which produced some interesting results.

For a copy of Bill Lovell’s presentation or Gavin Jones and Mark Poole’s (RB Solutions) presentation, please click the link below.

Jan 08
2019

January 2019 IRRV South Eastern Association meeting
Tuesday 8 January 2019 - Enforcement of Council Tax Debts

January 2019 IRRV South Eastern Association meeting

Slides from the presentation are available here

 

Our first meeting for 2019 will take place on Tuesday 8 January 2019. We are pleased to announce that our speaker will be Paul Bowden from Wilkin Chapman. Paul will be covering Enforcement of Council Tax Debts. 

The meeting will be held at Swale House in Sittingbourne with refreshments from 1.30pm for a 2.00pm start.

Jan 08
2019

January 2019 IRRV South Eastern Association meeting
Tuesday 8 January 2019 - Enforcement of Council Tax Debts

January 2019 IRRV South Eastern Association meeting

Slides from the presentation are available here

 

Our first meeting for 2019 will take place on Tuesday 8 January 2019. We are pleased to announce that our speaker will be Paul Bowden from Wilkin Chapman. Paul will be covering Enforcement of Council Tax Debts. 

The meeting will be held at Swale House in Sittingbourne with refreshments from 1.30pm for a 2.00pm start.

Jan 01
1970

Minutes of Meeting at Shepway DC on Wednesday 16th January 2008

Minutes of Meeting at Shepway DC on Wednesday 16th January 2008

Marks presentation was delivered in two parts, the first, an introduction to health and well-being in the workplace and the second, a brief overview of the work that Mark did with Kings Lynn Borough Council, which resulted in them winning the 2007 IRRV Performance Award for excellence in Education, Training and Development.

In the first part of his presentation, Mark provided us with a sincere, open and practical approach to health and well-being at work. He gave us an insight into people’s perceptions and why past experiences effect people’s responses to what is happening to them. Mark explained that a productive workforce is a happy and healthy workforce. Mark explained that sustainability of intervention is very important, there is little point in masking over a problem temporarily, a more holistic approach is needed.

Marks overview of his work with King's Lynn Borough Council resulted in exceptional feedback from staff at Kings Lynn with 100% of staff stating they enjoyed their work and 94% of staff saying that they intended to stay at the Council for the next 12 months. The financial savings were in excess of £364,000.

If anyone would like further information of Marks work in King's Lynn further information can be found on King's Lynn's website using the link below or by telephoning Gareth Evans, Head of Revenues and Customer Services, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council on 01553 616218. Mark can be contacted by e-mail using the link below.

Jan 01
1970

Remote Working in Revenues & Benefits 25/02/2009
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

Remote Working in Revenues & Benefits 25/02/2009

Remote working is becoming an attractive option for both employers and employees within Revenues and Benefits.  Bill McCafferty talks about the advantages and the successes of remote working in Tunbridge Wells.  A must for anyone currently writing their draft policy!   

Jan 01
1970

Congratulations

<b>Congratulations<b>

Level 3 Certificate in Local Taxation and Benefits

Mark Gilmore - Canterbury City Council

Diane Lane - Tonbridge Malling BC

IRRV Technician

Timothy Dennington - Sevenoaks DC

Full professional qualification - Level 1

Tina Barnard - Medway Council

Zoe Kent - Swale BC

Tina was the overall Level 1 prizewinner, and Zoe was the prizewinner for Principles of Accounting. Well Done.

Full professional qualification Level 2

Cathy Hearsey - Shepway DC

William Waight - Tonbridge & Malling

Full professional qualification Level 3

Gemma Gilley - Tonbridge & Malling BC

Congratulations to all of you well done, look forward to seeing you at future meetings

Jan 01
1970
Jan 01
1970

Minutes of the Meeting at Shepway DC on Wednesday 7 May 2008

<b> Minutes of the Meeting at Shepway DC on Wednesday 7 May 2008 <B>

Tim explained that £15billions of benefits is paid each year by local authorities and central government wants to ensure that it is paid correctly. The Benefits Fraud Inspectorate managed to inspect 50% of local authorities during it's tenure. Now the emphasis has changed to self-assessement. Once of the goals of the audit commission is to ensure that authorities are not duplicating the information that they have to provide. An inspection would only take place if the commission decides that it is appropriate. The inspection would be conducted by two people, one specialist and one generalist. The inspection would be based around interviews with a range of people from councillors to the Chief Exec down to staff and customers, and they would test the processes from the customer point of view. There have been nine pilots in authorities who volunteered which have revealed that the system appears to work and with some interesting outcomes. But the results do show that those authorities concerned are generally above average. Reports from inspections will be published and scored but authorities should remember that an inspection is about improvement. Any inspections due will be published on the web - www.audit-commission.gov.uk

Nov 13
2018

IRRV Council Elections 2018

IRRV Council Elections 2018

Congratualtions to the South Eastern Association's very own Zoe Kent who been elected to the IRRV National Council!

Oct 12
2009

Meeting Friday 9th April 2010

Meeting Friday 9th April 2010

Venue - Thanet District Council.

George Wilson (Chairman of Geroge Wilson Holding Ltd), "Coping with the recession - a business perspective" and Ian Driver, (Manager of Thanet Citizens Advice Bureau) "Coping with the recession - a customer perspective"

This year all departments within our Local Authority's have been affected by the recession. We are delighted to introduce 2 fantastic speakers who will each guide us through their own experiences of the recesssion. George Wilson outlines how businesses cope during a recession, whilst Ian Driver talks about the impact it has on our customers.  This is not one to miss - especially if you work within Revenues and Benefits!  Please notify Sharon Harvey of your attendance (using the link below) as soon as possible, as places will be in high demand.

The Association would like to thank Allpay for kindly sponsoring the meeting.

Format for the session:

 1.00pm ~ Arrival and buffet lunch for attendees and speakers

2.00pm ~ Meeting commences with an introduction from the Association President

2.05pm ~ Presentation from Allpay

2.35pm ~ Part 1 - George Wilson "Coping with the recession - a business perspective"

3.20pm ~ Questions from attendees

3.30pm ~ Part 2 - Ian Driver "Coping with the recession - a customer perspective"

4.15pm ~ Questions from attendees

4.30pm ~ Close

 

 

Mar 11
2010

Benefits Seminar - Wednesday 26th May 2010 & Thursday 27th May 2010

Benefits Seminar - Wednesday 26th May 2010 & Thursday 27th May 2010

The IRRV South-Eastern Association is pleased to announce a 2 day seminar on "Complex areas of Benefits administration".

This seminar is ideal for Assessment Officers looking to expand their knowledge or more senior staff looking for a refresher on complex areas.

The tutor is Tracy Crowe, a nationally recognised expert in Housing & Council Tax Benefits. More details about Tracy can be found by clicking the link below for a short biography.

The seminar will take place on Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th May at Canterbury City Council offices. Full details of the programme can be viewed by clicking the link below.

The cost of the 2 day seminar including lunch, all refreshments and a quality handout is only £159 per person. This is great value for money when you consider what it costs to send staff on other external training courses.

For more details or to reserve places please contact Andrew Stevens on 01227 862378 or by e-mail using the link below.   Places are limited and are strictly offered on a "first come first served" basis.

Dec 07
2017

IRRV South Eastern Association Annual General Meeting
17 Court Street, Faversham, ME13 7AX

IRRV South Eastern Association Annual General Meeting

The IRRV South Eastern Association Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday 18 January 2018 at 11.30 am. We would like to have representation from every Kent authority and the VOA at the meeting.

Marston Holdings have very kindly offered to sponsor the meeting which will be followed by a tour of the Shepherd Neame Brewery and a light lunch.

If you are an IRRV member and you would like to be nominated to stand for the executive please contact Zoe Kent zoekent@swale.gov.uk The agenda for the meeting will be available at the beginning of January, please send any agenda items by Friday 5 January 2018.

If you would like to attend the AGM please email zoekent@swale.gov.uk by Friday 5 January 2018.

 

Jan 01
1970

Minutes of meeting Friday 7th December 2007 - Canterbury CC *Sponsored by Synergy*

Minutes of meeting Friday 7th December 2007 - Canterbury CC  *Sponsored by Synergy*

Kevin posed the question - why is there a new Act, and why are things different now from what they were in 1983? He outlined some of the major changes including the Local Housing Allowance and amendments to the backdating rules, and, the governements reasoning behind these changes. If you would like a copy of the presentation please click on the link below.

The meeting was sponsored by Synergy;David Field, Justin Plasett and Neil Albert outlined their services including their training package. A game of bingo excellently highlighted the necessity for clear communication!

Jan 01
1970

Minutes of the AGM at Port Lympne Zoo Tuesday 28 April 2009

Minutes of the AGM at Port Lympne Zoo Tuesday 28 April 2009

Amendments we made to the Executive Committee. With immediate effect the new officers will be:

President - Tracy Jagger, Vice President - Patrick Knight, Hon Secretary - Sharon Harvey, Hon Treasurer - Patrick Knight, Auditor -Malcolm Beattie and Education Liaison Officer - Andrew Stevens. Committee members are: Caron Watson, Debbie Lewis, Jim Coules, John Roberts, Laurie Hulse and Steve Sparkes. Reports were made by the President, Secretary, Treasurer and the Education Liaison Officer on the previous year, which has been a successful one with a variety of meetings and a seminar all of which have been well attended.

The Association thanked Chris Rundle of Rundle & Co for his sponsorship of the AGM.

Oct 12
2009

Meeting Thursday 28th January 2010

Meeting  Thursday 28th January 2010

Tim Savill "The First Year of Benefit Inspections" and Juli Oliver- Smith "Shared Services - A working example".  Sponsored by Newlyn PLC.  Venue - Shepway District Council.

Tim Savill, National Lead (Benefits), Housing & Economic Development, Audit Commission -  "The first year of Benefit Inspections"

More challenging assessment criteria and performance assessed from the users perspective.  Tim Savill talks about the highs and lows of the first year of Benefit Inspections.

Juli Oliver - Smith, Head of the East Kent HR Partnership - "Shared Services - A working Example" 

Juli talks to us about the newly formed HR Shared Services between Canterbury, Dover, Shepway & Thanet.  A real example of how Shared Services can succeed and lessons learnt along the way.

Format for the session;

1.00pm ~ Arrival and buffet lunch for attendees and speakers

2.00pm ~ Meeting commences with an introduction from the Association President

2.05pm ~ Presentation from Newlyn PLC

2.35pm ~ Part 1 - Tim Savill "The first year of Benefit inspections"

3.20pm ~ Questions from attendees

3.30pm ~ Part 2 - Juli Oliver-Smith "Shared Services - A working example"

4.15pm ~ Questions from attendees

4.30pm ~ Close

Apr 28
2011

Minutes of the Meeting at Swale BC 25 March 2011

Minutes of the Meeting at Swale BC 25 March 2011

Andy punctuated his presentation with stills and videos of the race and events on the yacht.  He started the presentation by posing the question "What makes a good manager?"  In an attempt to answer this question he compared the approach of the two skippers he served under during the race.  As an introduction he explained the race.  It is the old yacht race open to amateurs in 68 foot stripped down racing yachts.  The crew had between them little or no experience, therefore the role of the skipper was paramount.  The race covers 35,000 miles, visiting 14 ports over an 11 month period.

Andy gave his reasons for entering the race - a career move; a personal challenge; his interest in leadership; for are charitable cause the Rainbow Trust; and, to learn new skills.

The two skippers took vastly different approaches to managing the crew.  The first took a military style which involved little consultation with the crew; win focused; clearly defined roles for the crew;  no talking on board; no teas or other drinks on board; being off watch was a priviledge and not a right.  The second was a more inclusive manager; the crew shared roles; he consulted with the crew; he treated the experience as a sailing school, teaching the crew different roles; skipper takes a back seat.

There were seven legs to the race and the team won the first leg which gave them all a boost.  The second leg was more of a challenge as the conditions where much harder and there had been crew changes.  The third leg things began to change they were still in the lead but the attitude was changing there was some resentment towards the skipper and his method of managing the crew, also the yacht collided with one of the other competitors.  The fourth leg changed things, the skippers changed and his approach was much more relaxed.  During this leg they came across another boat which had foundered and they went to the rescue, however, there was a dispute on how to handle the matter with some of the crew disagreeing with the skipper's decision to hold back until daylight.  It turned out that the skipper was correct.  the fifth leg was the longest from China to California with 35 days at sea, they learned more about their new skipper and his approach which was to help those doing poorly to do well, and those doing well to do better.  This was opposed to the previous skipper whose objective was to win.  In leg 6 the boat was dropping down the leaderboard but the crew was finding out that there were more important things than winning.  The crew was beginning to enjoy the experience again.  The seventh and final leg was to Hull and the end of the race.

In conclusion Andy came to teh conclusion that a leader will be more abrupt and a manager will try to teach and ensure that the lesson is learned and can be passed on.  Also that there are other important roles in the team, in particular that of the influencing people.  These are the ones with knowledge and experience but no management responsibility but other members rely on them.  The people to watch are those who feel that they should be in charge but have no people skills.  As Andy said these people are in all teams whether on a yacht or in an office.

Overall lessons

Saw some good leadership modles

Should balance winning with experience

Saw some good analogies with management

Specific Lessons

Putting the theory into practice

Winning isn't everything

Competiveness doesn't make a winner

None of us is as smart as all of us

The only disadvantage of the presentation is that it didn't go on longer, it was fascinating and informative.

 

May 23
2017

Spring 2017 South Eastern Association meeting - Swale House, Sittingbourne
23 May 2017 - Sponsored by Marston Holdings

Spring 2017 South Eastern Association meeting - Swale House, Sittingbourne

We are pleased to announce that the speakers for the next South Eastern branch meeting will be Dave Chapman and  Alistair Townsend.

Dave will be presenting a paper on getting the best out of the magistrates court, liability orders and committals and Alistair will present a paper on NNDR – towards 100% retention. Both topics are likely to be of interest to a wide range of members, and we do hope that you can join us.

The South Eastern Association is extremely grateful to Marston Holdings for sponsoring the event.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday 23 May 2017 at Swale House in Sittingbourne. A buffet lunch will be provided from 1pm, with the meeting starting at 2.15pm.

Jul 13
2018

IRRV South Eastern Association 2018 Summer Dinner
Sponsored by Rundles & Co Ltd

IRRV South Eastern Association 2018 Summer Dinner

The IRRV South Eastern Association are pleased to announce that our summer event will take place on Friday 13 July 2018.

This year we are holding a dinner at the Tudor Park Hotel, Ashford Road, Bearsted, Maidstone Kent ME14 4NQ. We are also hoping that some of you may be available for a game of golf during the afternoon.

The South Eastern Association is once again extremely grateful to Chis Rundle, of Rundles & Co Ltd, in agreeing to sponsor this event by subsidising the evening and meeting the cost of the reception, the dinner wine, and free bar.

Please note the closing date for receipt of menu choices and payment is Friday 29th June 2018.   

The booking form for this event is attached. Menu choices should be emailed in advance of payment to Zoe Kent all items received will receive acknowledgment. Please also email Zoe Kent for further details if you are interested in playing golf.

Jan 01
1970

Minutes of meeting Thursday 22nd November 2007 - Thanet D.C. *Sponsored by Rossendales*

</B>Minutes of meeting Thursday 22nd November 2007 - Thanet D.C. *Sponsored by Rossendales*</B>

The talk covered Commissioners decisions in recent cases that related to evidence, claims, occupation, liability, household, income and capital. If you would like a copy of Louise’s presentation, please click on the link below.

The meeting was sponsored by Rossendales, Darren Kelk and Chris Bloodworth gave the Association an insight to successful debt collection.  If you would like a  copy of Rossendales slides, please click on the link below.

Jan 01
1970
Nov 02
2014

Autumn meeting – 16th January 2015 – Swale House, Sittingbourne

Autumn meeting – 16th January 2015 – Swale House, Sittingbourne

UPDATED: Our next meeting will take place on Friday 16th January 2015 and our speakers will be Paul McDermott from Analyse Local, and David Magor Chief Executive of the IRRV, discussing Business Rates Retention Appeals. David will also be discussing business rates and the Autumn statement.

This is a subject that may also be of interest to your Finance colleagues so please invite anyone who may be interested in attending.

The meeting will be held at Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3HT – from 1.30pm for a 2pm start

Tea, coffee and cakes will be available before the meeting starts. Please can one person from each authority/organisation let Zoe Kent or another member of the executive know how many people from your organisation will be attending.

Jul 14
2017

IRRV South Eastern Association 2017 Summer Dinner
Sponsored by Rundles & Co Ltd

IRRV South Eastern Association 2017 Summer Dinner

The IRRV South Eastern Association are pleased to announce that our summer event will take place on Friday 14 July 2017.

This year we are holding a dinner at Hempstead House, London Road, Bapchild, Sittingbourne ME9 9PP. The South Eastern Association is once again extremely grateful to Chris Rundle, of Rundles & Co Ltd, in agreeing to sponsor this event by subsidising the evening and meeting the cost of the reception, the dinner wine and free bar.

Further details will follow shortly.

 

 

Jul 26
2017

Summer 2017 South Eastern Association meeting
26 July 2017 - Swale House, Sittingbourne

Summer 2017 South Eastern Association meeting

We are delighted to announce that our speakers will be Kevin Stewart former National President of the IRRV and  Deven Ghelani from Policy in Practice.

Kevin will be presenting a paper on "Universal Credit – Challenges in the South East - 2017 and beyond"; a hot topic to many with UC rollout continuing across the county.

Deven will present a paper on Tracking the Prospects of Low Income Households, again a subject much in the news of late.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday 26 July 2017 at Swale House in Sittingbourne. Tea and coffee will be available from 1.30pm, with the meeting starting at 2.00pm.

May 28
2014

Summer Meeting - 5th June 2014 - Swale House, Sittingbourne

Summer Meeting - 5th June 2014 - Swale House, Sittingbourne

Our next meeting will be a chance to attend a questions and answers session covering the enforcement reforms that came in to effect from April 2014. Chris Rundle of Rundle & Co has very kindly offered to come along and talk to us about this subject.

Tea, coffee and cakes will be available from 1:30pm for a 2pm start.


Apr 18
2016

Spring 2016 IRRV South Eastern Association meeting
18th April 2016 - Combating CTRS fraud

Spring 2016 IRRV South Eastern Association meeting

We are pleased to announce that the speaker for the next South Eastern branch meeting will be Louise Freeth, who will present a paper on combating CTRS fraud.

Louise has spoken at a number of IRRV conferences and events, and is a tutor for the IRRV exams. Combating fraud in Council Tax Reduction is a topical issue following the recent introduction of SFIS, and with the continuing need to maximise collection.

The meeting will be held Monday 18th April 2016 at Swale House in Sittingbourne with refreshments from 2pm for a 2.30pm start.

Jul 14
2017

IRRV South Eastern Association 2017 Summer Dinner
Sponsored by Rundles & Co Ltd

IRRV South Eastern Association 2017 Summer Dinner

The IRRV South Eastern Association are pleased to announce that our summer event will take place on Friday 14 July 2017.

This year we are holding a dinner at Hempstead House, London Road, Bapchild, Sittingbourne ME9 9PP. The South Eastern Association is once again extremely grateful to Chris Rundle, of Rundles & Co Ltd, in agreeing to sponsor this event by subsidising the evening and meeting the cost of the reception, the dinner wine and free bar.

Menu choices and payment are needed by Friday 30 June 2017; please contact a member of the exec for booking details.

 

 

Jan 01
1970
Apr 01
2014

Spring Meeting - 24th April 2014 - Swale House, Sittingbourne

Spring Meeting - 24th April 2014 - Swale House, Sittingbourne

Our first meeting for 2014/15 took place at Swale Borough Council and was an opportunity to hear from Alan Sullivan, management consultant with the DWP’s Housing Benefit Delivery Division. Alan spoke about the recovery of overpayments moving forward to Universal Credit and the merits of risk based verification with e-claim forms, amongst other topics.

Answers to the questions that arose during the meeting are summarised below:

Q1 LAs are currently limited to the amount of CT they can claim from DWP debt management (£3.25 per week). Will these restrictions apply under recovery from UC?  This might be recovery of arrears, or stopping arrears occurring, and would be classed as 3rd party deductions. Is there a limit to the amount of deduction?

The maximum deduction for Council Tax arrears and most 3rd Party Deductions is currently 5% of the IS rate for a single person aged 25 or over rounded up to the nearest pence, therefore in this year 2014/15 it is £3.65. Once UC is in payment, it will be 5% of the standard UC allowance for single over 25 which works out the same at £15.73 per month.


Q2 Are there any time restrictions on applying the new DEA powers re age of O/P, or can they use them for any O/P regardless of age.

DEA can be used on any overpayment that is still within the time limit in normal legislation.

Q3 Can we use new DEA powers where we have previously failed on an attachment through county Court

Yes

Q4 Can we add previous court costs to the overpayment before applying the new DEA powers.

No

Q4 Can we apply for the new DEA powers to have debt recovered from a partners earnings?

No, you cannot take from a partner's earnings, I have looked into this as I have received a number of queries on it. There is no need to apply to the court for any aspect of a DEA which cuts down costs considerably.

Q5 If a DEA is in place and the customer experiences hardship, can we ask the employer to reduce the % rate they are using?

Yes, we can send the employer a letter asking them to deduct a fixed rate which will have been based on a conversation with the customer.

The final action point from the IRRV south eastern meeting was to provide details of RBV/e-claim sites. I am pleased now to attach the information we hold (there may be more that we don’t know about)

LA                     E-claim form          RBV system
Dudley              Victoria Forms       Coactiva
Isle of Wight     Not known              Coactiva
Merton              IEG4                      Coactiva
Peterborough   Not known              Xantura
Stockport          IEG4                      Coactiva

May 20
2015

South Eastern Association meeting – Tuesday 26th May 2015 – Swale House, Sittingbourne

South Eastern Association meeting – Tuesday 26th May 2015 – Swale House, Sittingbourne

Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday 26th May 2015. We are pleased to announce our speaker will be Andrew Stevens from EK Services who will present a paper on the Nudge Theory. The Nudge Theory looks to understand why people makes decisions and how we can change the way our customers behave and think. It can be used to encourage customers to use online services rather than phoning or in person for example. This is a subject that will be of interest to other colleagues within your authority/company so please invite anyone who may be interested to attend.

We are also pleased to announce that the National President of the IRRV Kevin Stewart will be attending this meeting, he will be giving us a national update from the IRRV and will be pleased to take any questions.

The meeting will be held at Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3HT – from 1.30pm for a 2pm start

Tea, coffee and cakes will be available before the meeting starts. Please can one person from each authority/organisation let Zoe Kent or another member of the executive know how many people from your organisation will be attending.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.

May 23
2017

Spring 2017 South Eastern Association meeting - Swale House, Sittingbourne
23 May 2017 - Sponsored by Marston Holdings

Spring 2017 South Eastern Association meeting - Swale House, Sittingbourne

We are pleased to announce that the speakers for the next South Eastern branch meeting will be Dave Chapman and  Alistair Townsend.

Dave will be presenting a paper on getting the best out of the magistrates court, liability orders and committals and Alistair will present a paper on NNDR – towards 100% retention. Both topics are likely to be of interest to a wide range of members, and we do hope that you can join us.

The South Eastern Association is extremely grateful to Marston Holdings for sponsoring the event.

The meeting will be held on Tuesday 23 May 2017 at Swale House in Sittingbourne. A buffet lunch will be provided from 1pm, with the meeting starting at 2.15pm.

Jun 02
2013

Council Tax Reduction Scheme Appeals - 13th June 2013 2pm Medway Council

Council Tax Reduction Scheme Appeals - 13th June 2013 2pm Medway Council

Our next meeting will take place at Medway Council, it will be a chance to hear David Hendy from the Valuation Tribunal speak on the subject of Council Tax Reduction Scheme appeals and how the Valuation Tribunal will be dealing with these appeals.

David Hendy is a regular writer in the IRRV Insight magazine and has recently started work for the VTS as a team leader in the section dealing with the CTRS appeals.

Tea and coffee will be available before the meeting.

Jul 29
2016

IRRV South Eastern Association 2016 Summer Dinner
Sponsored by Rundles & Co Ltd

IRRV South Eastern Association 2016 Summer Dinner

The IRRV South Eastern Association are pleased to announce that our summer event will take place on Friday 29 July 2016.

This year we are holding a dinner at The Salutation, Knightrider Street, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9EW. Many of you may be aware of this venue from Googlebox. We hope to include a guest appearance at the reception from Steph and Dom.

The South Eastern Association is once again extremely grateful to Chris Rundle, of Rundles & Co Ltd, in agreeing to sponsor this event by subsidising the evening and meeting the cost of the reception, the dinner wine and free Licensed Bar.

Please contact a member of the exec for more details and please note that the closing date for receipt of menu choices and payment is Monday 18th July 2016.  

Jul 04
2016

AGM & Summer Executive meeting
Monday 4 July 2016 10am

AGM & Summer Executive meeting

A joint AGM and executive meeting will be held at 10am on Monday 4th July 2016 at Swale House in Sittingbourne. All IRRV member are welcome to attend the meeting.

Jan 01
1970

Your Association - Your views count!

Your Association - Your views count!

All suggestions can be sent to the Association Secretary Sharon Harvey using the link below.

All suggestions, big or small will be replied to. 

Dec 07
2017

IRRV South Eastern Association Annual General Meeting
17 Court Street, Faversham, ME13 7AX

IRRV South Eastern Association Annual General Meeting

The IRRV South Eastern Association Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday 18 January 2018 at 11.30 am. We would like to have representation from every Kent authority and the VOA at the meeting.

Marston Holdings have very kindly offered to sponsor the meeting which will be followed by a tour of the Shepherd Neame Brewery and a light lunch.

If you are an IRRV member and you would like to be nominated to stand for the executive please contact Zoe Kent zoekent@swale.gov.uk The agenda for the meeting will be available at the beginning of January, please send any agenda items by Friday 5 January 2018.

If you would like to attend the AGM please email zoekent@swale.gov.uk by Friday 5 January 2018.

 

Jan 01
1970
Jan 16
2015

Autumn meeting - Swale House, Sittingbourne
16th January 2015

Autumn meeting - Swale House, Sittingbourne

UPDATED: Our next meeting will take place on Friday 16th January 2015 and our speakers will be Paul McDermott from Analyse Local, and David Magor Chief Executive of the IRRV, discussing Business Rates Retention Appeals. David will also be discussing business rates and the autumn statement.

This is a subject that may also be of interest to your Finance colleagues so please invite anyone who may be interested in attending.

The meeting will be held at Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3HT – from 1.30pm for a 2pm start

Tea, coffee and cakes will be available before the meeting starts. Please can one person from each authority/organisation let Zoe Kent or another member of the executive know how many people from your organisation will be attending.

Apr 18
2016

Spring 2016 South Eastern Association meeting - Swale House, Sittingbourne
Combatting CTRS fraud

Spring 2016 South Eastern Association meeting - Swale House, Sittingbourne

We are pleased to announce that the speaker for the next South Eastern branch meeting will be Louise Freeth, who will present a paper on combating CTRS fraud.

Louise has spoken at a number of IRRV conferences and events, and is a tutor for the IRRV exams. Combating fraud in Council Tax Reduction is a topical issue following the recent introduction of SFIS, and with the continuing need to maximise collection.

The meeting will be held Monday 18th April 2016 at Swale House in Sittingbourne with refreshments from 2pm for a 2.30pm start.

May 20
2015

South Eastern Association meeting - Swale House, Sittingbourne
Tuesday 26th May 2015

South Eastern Association meeting - Swale House, Sittingbourne

Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday 26th May 2015. We are pleased to announce our speaker will be Andrew Stevens from EK Services who will present a paper on the Nudge Theory. The Nudge Theory looks to understand why people makes decisions and how we can change the way our customers behave and think. It can be used to encourage customers to use online services rather than phoning or in person for example. This is a subject that will be of interest to other colleagues within your authority/company so please invite anyone who may be interested to attend.

We are also pleased to announce that the National President of the IRRV Kevin Stewart will be attending this meeting, he will be giving us a national update from the IRRV and will be pleased to take any questions.

The meeting will be held at Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne, Kent ME10 3HT – from 1.30pm for a 2pm start

Tea, coffee and cakes will be available before the meeting starts. Please can one person from each authority/organisation let Zoe Kent or another member of the executive know how many people from your organisation will be attending.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.
 

Oct 12
2009

Welcome to the South Eastern Association

Welcome to the South Eastern Association

If you have never been to a local meeting, now's the time to support your local association -  provide us with your contact details and come along.  Our Association meetings are open to everyone, they are good training, good fun and our guest speakers are of the highest quality.  Presentations are on the most current, topical issues around Revenues, Benefits and Valuation.  

We are always looking for new ideas for meetings, if you have an idea for a meeting for our agenda next year, we would love to hear from you.

We very much look forward to seeing you at our next meeting.

South Eastern Association Executive Team

May 06
2013

'Dealing with customers with debts' - StepChange 17th May 2013

'Dealing with customers with debts' - StepChange 17th May 2013

17th May 2013 'Dealing with customers with debts' - Rob Sandells of StepChange

The first of our 2013/14 events was an excellent presentation from Rob Sandells of StepChange Debt Charity. Rob provided an overview of the services that StepChange can provide to people struggling with debt, and how Local Authorities can both help and make use of these.

The event hosted by Swale Borough Council, was very well attended and attracted interest from both revenues and benefits practitioners.