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Visionary Network is the new way
to provide continual professional development for local
authority professionals.
Recent financial restraints in public sector budgets, together
with increased pressures on officer's time can prohibit
attendance at traditional conferences. Visionary Network has,
therefore, developed a series of online seminars for local
authority professionals.
The objective of this service is provide an affordable way to
deliver and exchange information and best practice as well as to
support the continual professional development of those working
in the public sector.
Each service-based series of eight
lunchtime sessions will cover the current issues of relevance to
the officers working within that service. Subject areas will
range from regulatory to best practice to strategic management.
The seminars will last for just under an
hour, they will usually consist of a presentation lasting about
30 minutes followed by online questions put directly by the
delegates.
Who Should Attend Benefit Professionals Online Seminars:
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Treasurers
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Revenue Managers
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Benefit Managers
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Welfare Benefit Managers
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Fraud Managers
PROGRAMME SEASON
2
Welfare Reform – An Update
Paul Howarth, DWP
The new coalition Government is committed to major reform of the
welfare benefit system including reducing the number of
benefits, overhauling entitlement criteria and changing the
relationship to employment. This address will provide an update
on the new direction and current thinking.
Running a Contracted Out Revenues and Benefits Service
Craig Genes, Arvato
Craig looks at how contracted out
services work. This presentation will focus on benefits and
revenues services and examine how to maintain a local service,
invest for the future and find common ground for sharing back
office services across different customer bases.
An Ageing Population Part (1) The Future for Pensions and
Benefits
Hilda Massey, Pensions, Information and Presentation
Division, DWP
The population is getting older and, with changes in pension
provision likely under the new government, there are significant
challenges to lifting pensioners out poverty. In this session
the pension service talks about the effect on pension provision
of welfare benefit reform and budget deficit as well as a
partnership approach to tackling pensioner poverty.
An Ageing Population Part (2) The
Challenges to Benefit Take Up Amongst the Elderly
Sally West, Income Policy Advisor, Age UK
The elderly face specific challenges to claiming benefit ranging
from accessibility issues to attitudes around dependence. In
this seminar Sally West from Age UK (Formerly Help the Aged)
provides a view on how local authorities can encourage pensioner
benefit claims and how to increase accessibility and take-up.
Procuring a Shared Service: Examining the Options
Haydn Howard, Meritec
Meritec has been helping Councils in
moving to shared services through peer review, consultancy and
their NetShare Service, which helps councils trade with each
other. In this session Haydn touches on the common assumptions,
mistakes and aspirations of entering into a shared service, with
particular reference to Revenues and Benefits. Haydn looks at
the areas which quick wins may be found and the areas that need
serious consideration before even starting the process.
“Tell Us Once”
Sam Micklethwaite, Customer Services Manager, Rochdale BC
Rochdale Customer Services have introduced a “Tell Us Once”
approach to Customer Services. This innovative approach enables
customers to speak to one person about a range of local
authority services. Not only does this service provide
outstanding customer service but it is also an efficient use of
resources. In this presentation Sam Micklethwaite will discuss
the development of the “Tell Us Once” programme and the
challenges and successes of implementation.
Recent Migrants and Refugees – A Legislative Overview of
Benefit Rights
Devan Kanthasamy, Housing Action Trust
The Housing Action Trust have been at the
forefront of raising awareness about housing issues, including
benefits, for fifty years. One of the Trust’s initiatives is the
Housing and Migration Network, developed in partnership with the
Joseph Rowntree Trust, which brings together policy makers and
practitioners to develop ideas for improving the housing of
refugees and new migrants. This presentation will provide an
examination of benefit rights and related legislation.
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