Issue - meetings

The Head of Revenues and Benefits Shared Service introduced the report, stating that the fraud and compliance team worked across the Maidstone, Swale and Tunbridge Wells Authorities. An understanding had been reached for the team to generate at least £400,000 in savings whilst being mainly funded by Kent County Council (KCC). 

In 2019/20 the focus on the National Fraud Initiative data and small business rate relief accounts and New Homes Bonus had generated a total of £1.3 million in savings.

For the current year, the re-deployment of staff during the Covid-19 pandemic was highlighted, however £1.5 million had been identified in savings so far in the current financial year. 

KCC had introduced debt brought back into recovery into the fraud and compliance figures through online tracing of those residents that had absconded. A report providing the final savings figures generated for the current financial year would be presented to the Committee in the Summer of 2021.

In response to questions, it was confirmed that the savings figure for New Homes Bonus of £543,200 had been generated across all three local authorities.

RESOLVED: That the contents of the report be noted.