Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Corporate Services

The Cabinet Member Corporate Services introduced the report which sought approval from Council for the deletion of the post of Benefits Manager and consequential costs with a proposed implementation date of 1 July 2017.

The Cabinet Member explained that the restructure was a direct result of the introduction of Universal Credit which was an ongoing process up to 2022. In December 2017 CBC would go live on all new claims for Universal Credit which would see the start of a drop in workload over the following 12/18 months. It was anticipated that in 2019/20 any remaining working age caseload would be transferred to the Department of Work and Pensions meaning CBC would just process council tax support claims for working age customers and rent benefit/council tax support for pensioners until 2022/23 when the rent benefit side may transfer to pension credit.

The Cabinet Member explained that revenues and benefits were currently separate departments at the council, however the restructure, which would create a post to provide technical support across all functions of the revenues and benefits service, would involve the deletion of one post at a combined cost of in excess of £100,000. This would deliver a budget revenue saving of £47,500 per annum.

In light of the fact that the transfer to universal credit would be ongoing until 2022 a Member asked whether the council had sufficient resources to manage the transformation process. In response the Cabinet Member confirmed that due to the creation of other posts within the service there would be sufficient resources to manage the department in the future.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that

The deletion of the post of Benefits Manager and consequential costs with a proposed implementation date of 1^st July 2017 be approved.