ACTION PLAN
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
REPORT RECOMMENDATION ACTIONS BY WHEN OUTCOME PROGRESS
Develops its Corporate Plan and supporting strategies, as part of its next review, to include reference to the role HB and CTB can play in tackling poverty and social inclusion. Report to SS& Benefits Select in April to agree reporting process Sep-04 Included in 2004/5 service plan  
Urgently introduces benefit specific policies and procedures to support and direct the Benefits service in the key areas of benefit administration,  overpayments, appeals and reconsiderations and management checking.               Initial draft by end April. To team meetings May, Agreed by June Jun-04 Updated benefits strategy covering all issues  
Includes in its Benefits Service Plan details of how it will address all aspects of HB and CTB performance against Performance Standards. No separate service plan for benefits - include in overall service plan Sep-04 It is an objective in the 2004/5 plan  
Includes in its Benefits Strategy and Service Plan, an improvement plan that seeks to achieve Best Value targets and meet the wider ranging requirements of Performance Standards. The improvement plan should be communicated to all staff and stakeholders, supported by Members and actively managed, monitored and controlled           Strategy currently being updated to deal with new reviews regime and increased data matching, Draft to be completed April    Agreed with staff - May Jun-04 Quarterly performance monitoring  
Sets performance targets for the Benefits service that includes all relevant Best Value Performance Indicators. Await revised BVPI's - to reflect loss of renewals before finalising Jun-04 Quarterly performance monitoring  
Reflects individual performance targets in key work objectives for all benefit staff. Amend to reflect 1 April changes, Revise plans by June Agree with Staff August Sep-04 Monitoring in place  
Ensures that the individual performance targets would collectively achieve the overall team targets. Draft plan from 1 April 04 Sep-04 Monitoring in place  
Introduces procedures to ensure that staff and managers in both the Verification and the Benefit Processing teams are aware of the levels of performance against clearance time targets in their own functional area. System interrogation to determine measurement process, Draft by Jun-04 Agree with staff- Aug-04 Sep-04 Monitoring in place  
Reviews the role of the Principal Benefits Officer to provide more time for the post holder to manage the benefit processing operation and to remove responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Fraud Investigation team.  Fraud role separated from 1 Dec 03 Dec-03 Greater focus on claim processing Completed
Develops comprehensive documented procedures covering all aspects of its service delivery, incorporating all the regulations and current circulars. Draft by June-04,  Agree with Staff - Sep- 04 Dec-04 Staff awareness  
Provides awareness training for staff and managers in use of the available guidance on the delivery of HB and CTB. Draft by June-04, Agree with Staff - Jul- 04 Sep-04 Staff awareness  
Introduces procedures to ensure that, when necessary, changes to procedures are implemented within 10 days of receiving information from the Department. Include in Training Plan Jun-04 Procedures implemented in 10 days  
Devises a formal process for developing and changing local procedures. Draft June -04,  Agree with Staff July 04 Sep-04 Monitoring in place  
Introduces formal procedures to carry out and record management checks Update to reflect new proposals Sep-04 Monitoring in place  
Regularly reports the results of management checks to senior officers and Members. To be determined but aim is 6-monthly to committee and to R & B Manager monthly from April - 04 Sep-04 six monthly reports  
Develops a process for using the results of management checks to inform staff training plans. Procedures required which link checks, complaints & appeals to overall training plans Jun-04 Improved training  
REPORT RECOMMENDATION ACTIONS BY WHEN OUTCOME PROGRESS
Develops and uses a range of management information to identify risks to effective benefit administration, identify areas of low benefit take-up, assist the continuous improvement of HB and CTB administration and identify the causes of any deviations from plans and targets.                       Management information already used to identify deviation from plan Oct-04 Improved service levels  
Ensures that information about individual and team performance is fed back into staff training and development plans. It is currently through PDP process Jul-04 Performance details to team meetings monthly  
Introduces a formal mechanism for evaluating the training provided ensuring that this process is used to review and revise the Benefits service’s training programme. Develop procedures based on the current evaluation forms Apr-04 Line -managers to use evaluation form  
Introduces personal work objectives which are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based to support the higher level departmental and corporate objectives. To be included job descriptions  Mar-04 -Nov04 Improved service levels  
Introduce an access control policy for all users of the Benefits IT systems and urgently reviews the access levels that have been allocated to all system users to ensure that they are commensurate with their duties.      Action identified in the Audit Plan and complete review of system access underway Apr-04 Access level based on job role  
Reviews the Benefits IT system training provided to staff to ensure that it satisfies the needs of individual members of staff, is comprehensive in content and is delivered effectively and timeously. Procedures to cover bringing all staff up to required level and for induction of new staff Starting Jun -04 - inc on training plan Improved service levels  
Documents its IT contingency and recovery plans, tests these plans at least annually and reviews them in the light of the outcomes of these tests. Already in progress as part of the Corporate plan for disaster recovery First stage Feb - 04 System continuity Partially completed
Ensures that Performance Standards requirements inform future Internal Audit testing and reporting and the level of Internal Audit resources used and days committed to HB and CTB audit reflects the risk and monetary value of HB and CTB compared to budget expenditure for other services. Review number of days available for benefit audits Sep-04 Audit work linked to performance standards  
Puts systems in place to ensure that action against Internal Audit recommendations is followed up by Internal Audit and that Members are provided with ongoing and systematic assurance on the effectiveness and security of its HB and CTB systems. Procedures to be prepared and agreed Sep-04 Monitoring performance against plans  
Monitors the progress of action plans against Audit Commission recommendations and adjust these plans as necessary Prepare procedure Dec-04 Improved audit of benefits  
Reports regularly to Members on progress against these plans. Report to SS& Benefits Select in April to agree reporting process Apr-04 Planned every six months  
Includes staff from the Benefits service in the project management training to be provided by the Audit Commission. Agree process with Internal Audit Sep-04 Improved knowledge of project management  
Ensures that its costing structure for calculating the cost of a claim identifies the direct cost for staff, IT, stationery and administrative overheads. Determine method of collecting required information Jul-04 To demonstrate cost effective service  
Actively communicates the race equality scheme to Benefits service staff. Representative on the Corporate group Oct-04 Improved service levels  
Provides training to all Benefits service staff on all aspects of race equality and the race equality scheme. Prepare training course Sep-04 Improved service levels  
Conducts annual reviews of all the Benefits service facilities provided for claimants of key ethnic minority groups in the area. Base reviews on Corporate requirements Oct-04 Improved service levels  
REPORT RECOMMENDATION ACTIONS BY WHEN OUTCOME PROGRESS
Maximises the effectiveness of its internal working arrangements to ensure that Benefits service is making maximum use of the corporate services. Need to create a link with Policy Section Jun-04 Specific role now in place to deal with all liaison work  
Formally identifies all external stakeholders connected to the administration of HB and CTB, where partnership agreements and service level agreements need to be introduced or updated and ensures that all its service level agreements are current and up-to-date Part of the best value review Sep-04 Specific role now in place to deal with all liaison work  
         
BEST VALUE        
Raise the profile of the Benefits Service Member questionnaire Sep-03   Initial round completed
  Member awareness sessions Nov-03 and then annually Improved Member awareness Initial round completed
  PR campaign ongoing Review success of PR campaign under Customer Service Started Feb 04
  Reporting to Select Committees 1/2 yrly Select Committees request updates  
Keep Members updated Send relevant information updates to all Members ongoing Members receive updates and ask questions  
Raise the importance of the Benefits Service Corporate priority with homelessness, and a Priority Improvement Area Sep-04 Remains a corporate priority Started
  Develop Benefits anti-poverty strategy Dec-04 Strategy in place  
Reaching the hard to reach Use the Benefits and Homelessness Services as a method of accessing vulnerable people Jul-04 Part of corporate consultation strategy  
SLA/Partnership with DWP Partnership working with Pension Service   SLA adhered to Completed
SLA with Pension Service Renewed Jan 04   SLA adhered to Completed
Partnership with Age Concern In place   SLA adhered to Completed
Improve ICT provision List out the requirements for support (times etc) as basis of an SLA with ICT Jun-04    
  Develop the SLA Sep-04 SLA in place  
  Develop a procedure for prioritisation of new projects Apr-04 Procedure written  
  Procedure to record issues & plan for improvements Aug-04 Procedure written  
  Monitor downtime Jun-04 Staff survey