This Service Plan covers the service areas of Grants and Care of the Homeless – the two areas funded through the Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council General Fund. It does not relate to services funded through the HRA.
The provision of a Grants Service is a statutory duty in relation to the provision of mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants. The service also manages Renovation, Home Repair Assistance and Landlords Grants, which are discretionary.
The Care of the Homeless Service is again a statutory duty, and is the provision of a Homeless Advice Service to those presenting themselves as homeless to Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council. The service also manages the Council’s homeless hostel accommodation service.
Corporate Policy
How Policy Implemented
Equality & Diversity
The services comply with corporate requirements
Data Quality
The services comply with corporate requirements
Service Policy
How Policy Implemented
Grants
The Council’s private Sector Housing Renewal Policy dictates how the service is provided. Staff regularly refer to this document to ensure an impartial service is provided to all grant applicants. Legislation is also in place to guide staff on the provision of a mandatory grants service.
Care of the Homeless
Legislation dictates how this Council provides a service to those individuals presenting themselves as homeless.
Service Partner Providers
How Partner Supports Service Delivery
Grants
No partners
Care of the Homeless
Nominations are made to Registered Social landlords operating within the Borough
IT Systems
How IT System Supports Service Delivery
Grants
Basic documents are kept using Microsoft programmes
Care of the Homeless
No IT systems in place
Achievements: Previous Year & Current Year (to date)
Measure or Milestone
Reference
Target 2006/7
Actual 2006/7
Target 2007/8
Forecast2007/8
None identified
Success
How Achieved
Lessons Learnt
A streamlined and customer focused service
Using one member of staff to administer the grants service
A review of this service is urgently required to enable a full time grants officer to be appointed
A streamlined and customer focused service
Using (in the main) one member of staff to deal with all homeless applications and the provision of advice
A review of this service is urgently required to enable at least one, although preferably two, full time homeless officers to be appointed
Challenge
How Resolved
Outcome
Improve service provision
Resolved temporarily
The need to put in place a more permanent staffing structure
Financial Resources to Deliver Services
Note: This section of the report will be based on information contained in the Budget Book for the current year, in this case 2007/08. The original budget figures for the current financial year will be used as the base line figure for the calculation of cashable and efficiency gains.
Cost Centre
311
Description
Disabled Facilities Grants
Expense
£
Description of Main Activity & Cost
Employees
Employees Support
Support Services
10
Central service costs
Service Management
17,950
Central service costs
Running Costs
210
Office equipment, printing and stationery
Capital Charges
56,660
Grants
Gross Expenditure
74,830
Direct Income - Grants
34,000
Government subsidy
Direct Income – Fees/Charges
Recharge Income
Net Expenditure
40,830
Cost Centre
315
Description
Care of the Homeless
Expense
£
Description of Main Activity & Cost
Employees
Employees Support
Support Services
35,560
Grants to voluntary organisations, misc. fees, consultants fees, B&B accommodation
Service Management
40,540
Running Costs
8,740
Energy costs, water services, rents, rates, equipment furniture & tools, cleaning, use of Borough vehicles
Capital Charges
Gross Expenditure
84,840
Direct Income - Grants
30,000
Misc grants & reimbursements
Direct Income – Fees/Charges
1,940
Service charge income
Recharge Income
Net Expenditure
52,900
Cost Centre
Description
Expense
£
Description of Main Activity & Cost
Employees
Describe main activities of employees
Employees Support
Support Services
Service Management
Running Costs
Describe the main service running costs
Capital Charges
Gross Expenditure
Direct Income - Grants
Describe income sources
Direct Income – Fees/Charges
Describe income sources
Recharge Income
Net Expenditure
Capital Works
Name
Budget
Current Position
None
Value for Money Assessment
Efficiency Measure
BBC
Local
National
It is not possible to reduce the cost of providing these services
Efficiency Measure
Reason for Difference to Local / National Trend
There are no efficiency gains to be made
Please complete the three following tables (if applicable) indicating how partnership working, IT systems or adherence to / achievement of quality standards have contributed to value for money.
Service Partner Providers
How Partner Supports Service VFM
n/a
IT Systems
How IT System Supports VFM
n/a
How Service Links to Council Priorities
This section contains the same information as collected in the previous year’s budget setting process. The priorities will be reviewed by the Members and either modified or confirmed as consistent (remaining the same as last year). The data provided on this document will be summarised and challenged at Corporate Management Team for content and consistency.
Priority
Description of how service contributes to Council Priority
1
Grants and homeless are both services which require improvement
2
3
Homeless advice is an aid to improving housing choice
4
5
6
7
There is a requirement to make both services more accessible
8
9
10
11
12
Contribution to Other Five C’s
Outcome Factor
Description of how service contributes to “C” Factor
Customers
Grants and homelessness both impact on the service provided to customers
Communication
It is imperative that staff communicate effectively with customers using both services
Cohesion
n/a
Culture
There is a need to move towards a ‘can do’ culture
Compliance
Legislation dictates the provision of both services
Service Proposals for next 3 Years
Measure / Milestone
Reference
Forecast2007/8
Target 2008/9
Target 2009/10
Target 2010/11
There is a need to review the grants service in 2007/8
There is a need to review the homeless service in 2007/8
These targets will feed directly into the Best Value Performance Plan. Once the targets have been established and agreed (in principle) with the Head of Service or Director, an assessment of resources required should be made in the next table.
Measure / Milestone
Reference
Resources Needed
Less
Same
More
Grants
√
Homeless
√
The achievements of some of these targets will be achievable within existing or reduced resources.
Where service improvements are linked to more resources a ProjectBrief (template available on the Intranet) should be completed and submitted to the Programme Improvement Board.
Where service improvements are linked to less resources, the proposals for savings should be identified in the Proposals to Achieve Cashable & Efficiency Gains section.
Proposals to reduce Cashable resource requirement by 3%
No
Description of Proposal
Value (£)
Timing
1
The service is currently under funded, as highlighted in the recent Audit Commission report. The only opportunity is to transfer the service provision to a third party, via a Service level Agreement. A feasibility study would be required before proposals could be put forward.
2
3
Proposals to reduce resource requirement by 10% (Cashable or Efficiency Effect)
No
Description of Proposal
Value (£)
Timing
1
The service is currently under funded, as highlighted in the recent Audit Commission report. The only opportunity is to transfer the service provision to a third party, via a Service level Agreement. A feasibility study would be required before proposals could be put forward.
