Issue - meetings

This item has been attached to a separate colour supplement.

The Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Resources presented the performance report for the strategic purpose ‘help me be financially independent’.  During this presentation the following matters were raised:

·                The Council’s Financial Inclusion Team (FIT) had been working hard to help residents become more financially independent.  This had included a review of education and skills for customers who were claiming benefits.

·                The data that had been gathered for this strategic purpose indicated that action was needed to help residents struggling with fuel poverty. 

·                Officers were working with customers to try to understand why people got into debt.  Frequently this occurred because there had been a delay before a person could access their benefits.

·                The level of rent accounts in arrears was generally comparable to the national average.  A dip occurred each year as rent was paid on a 48 week basis leaving a number of weeks were no rent needed to be paid.

·                The Council’s sickness absence figures for staff had increased over the past 12 months.  This was possibly due to introducing a new system which was enabling managers to record the absences properly.

·                Cash payments had fallen slightly but some residents continued to pay for services using cash, which was more expensive for the Council to process than other payment methods.

Following the presentation of the report Members raised a number of points:

·                The action that could be taken by the cashiers to encourage residents to pay by direct debit instead.  Officers advised that cashiers did advise customers about other payment methods and advice was also provided about the variety of payment options available on the Council’s website.

·                The proportion of Redditch residents paying in cash.  Members were advised that a higher number of residents in Redditch opted to pay for service using cash than residents living in other parts of the county.

·                The need for the Council to communicate more effectively with residents about the costs involved in processing cash payment and the alternative payment methods that were available.

·                The action that was already being taken to address fuel poverty, which would involve assessing the methods used by other local authorities to tackle this problem.

·                The potential to make changes to Council Tax support, both for care leavers and other social groups.  This would be considered further by the Executive Committee later in the year.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.