This week’s discussion group brings a mix of updates: some bad, some noteworthy, some exciting, and a glimpse of what’s ahead.
The Bad News: Unfortunately, we had to cancel last Monday’s session. All of our LA panel members were tied up in other important meetings, some with the DWP. This would have resulted in low attendance, and while many of you prefer the recordings, the lack of the LA perspective, which is crucial, made the session less viable.
The Other News: I’ve invited Martin Lewis to join one of our Monday sessions to discuss council tax recovery. I was a bit disappointed by his latest campaign, which, like many of his, felt overly sensational and didn’t present the full picture or consider the broader implications. Let’s see if he’s willing to engage with us on this important topic.
The Amazing News: Many of you are feeling the pressure to run targeted Pension Credit campaigns. In partnership with InBest, we’re making it easier and more efficient for local authorities to identify pension-age residents who are missing out on Pension Credits and Winter Fuel Payments.
We’re offering a free data analysis of your SHBE and/or CTR caseload to help identify those missing out on these benefits. With this offer, you’ll get access to a web analytics platform that provides:
– Insights into the personal and financial circumstances of your residents.
– A snapshot of who is eligible for Pension Credits and those currently missing out.
– Detailed ward and street-level data to help target outreach efforts.
This service is completely free. If you’re interested, contact Manu at Inbest (manu@inbest.ai).
This is a great example of how Visionary Network and our partners aim to deliver meaningful, effective services to benefit you and your citizens without focusing on profit or publicity. We have already done this for a number of councils and Laura and her team from Oxford Council shared with us how impressed they were with the service and the quick turnaround.
Future News: Next week, we’ll be joined by the Competitions and Mergers Authority to discuss bid-rigging and ways to protect against it.
Also, I’m planning the first Visionary Network Conference, which will be held in Manchester or Leeds. The event will feature key speakers and focus on policy, thought leadership, and practical sessions addressing technical challenges.
Looking forward to seeing you next week!
The slide pack, files and reports can be downloaded from https://bit.ly/VNP240826.
Files and reports to be downloaded:
We also have a WhatsApp group where you can stay connected and participate in further discussions. You can join us here: https://bit.ly/3Qjrkqe.
Please note that the handout contains additional slides covering other items of interest in the news and job adverts, which are provided in partnership with Business Smart Solutions (https://www.businesssmartsolutions.co.uk/).