Fight the undermanagement epidemic

 

 

From: Murphy, Bill

Sent: 16 May 2012 10:51

To: Local Taxation Group; Housing Benefit - All Staff; Revenues Control Group

Cc: Gregson, John; Burns, Robert; Burgess, John (Unison)

Subject: Update from Revenues and Benefits Project Board

Dear Colleagues,

 

The Revenues & Benefits Transformation Project Board met yesterday and noted the progress on the consultation process and in the preparations for transfers of work and staff to the contact centre and for the new claims pilot. The board approved the changes to staffing agreed following feedback from staff in the consultation process, i.e. to create two specialist team leader posts for Revenues and Benefits in the contact centre, and discussed the process for filling these posts - this will be announced shortly. i.e. despite 10 consultants sitting at the back of Revenues and Benefits faffing about doing who knows what and Bill Murphy himself the town hall tax dodging AD, who could be off on his bike any day, they knew between them less than the staff do and have had to undo the cutting of 2 manager posts. If the council had let the staff make an in-house bid they would have been able to come up with a plan that provided exactly what is required, as they know more about the job than any consultant, and it would almost certainly have been cheaper. If for some bizarre reason it had turned out more expensive there would not have been dissent from the staff if they had been able to join in the game on a level playing field. Unlike Barnet FC it's downhill first half and then downhill second half at NLBP..

 

The forward work plan was reviewed and some changes made to reflect the need to minimise risks to the service. The key milestones are now:

Management workshop to finalise roles and responsibilities 17 May

Transition Team kickoff 23 May

Service Level Agreement between R&B and Contact Centre signed off: 30 May

Team Leaders and Officers confirmed in the new structure: 1 June

Transfers to contact centre: 18 June

Start of new claims pilot: 18 June

Leadership and Culture Change Workshop for new structure 21 June

New claims rollout: Mid-August

The Transition Team will develop its own work programme from late May onwards, with its first priority being knowledge and skills transfer to people in the new structure. In addition, it will pick up projects including Universal Credit pilot, localisation of Council Tax support and Social Fund, as well as dealing with the majority of activities related to the transfer to the NSCSO.

 

Bill Murphy
Assistant Director, Customer Services

 

London Borough of Barnet, North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road South, London N11 1NP
Tel: 020 8359 2142
Mobile 07847 188 983

 

Save this number and if your council tax is being dealt with badly or your benefits are late then ring it. Bill works for you and needs to know when things are going badly wrong. Don't let him fob you off, politely insist that he takes responsibility.

 

Yours frugally

Mr Mustard