It was a damp Yorkshire morning when Malcolm Gardner opened the latest Independent Revenues & Benefits Monday Discussion Group, musing that his wife had suggested mowing the grass in the drizzle — a comment that drew knowing laughter from the regulars logging in from across the country. Once the coffee cups were raised and the…
Category: Generative AI
Revenues and Benefits Discussion Group – August 2025 Highlights
There is no session this week as the summer break continues on the meantime here is a summary of what has been happening over the last two weeks. The group will return on Monday 8 September. Welfare and Sickness Trends Nearly 2.8 million people are now out of work due to long-term sickness, pushing the…
Local Government’s Breaking Point: Financial Fragility, Workforce Decline, and the Failure to Focus on Outcomes
Summary of the Independent Revenues & Benefits Discussion Group – 14 July 2025 At the most recent Independent Revenues & Benefits (R&B) Discussion Group, chaired by Malcolm Gardner, local government professionals gave a sobering assessment of the sector’s current state. With escalating financial deficits, an ageing and shrinking workforce, and new pressures from political reforms,…
Lessons for Revenue and Benefits Services on the Use of Data: Insights from the National Data Guardian’s Warning
The effective use of data is fundamental to the operations of any public service, including revenue and benefits services. However, the way data is described and managed is just as crucial as the data itself. Drawing lessons from the National Data Guardian for Health and Social Care, Dr Nicola Byrne’s recent warnings about the misuse…
Economic Challenges and AI Opportunities for Local Government
Difficult Inheritance: Navigating Weak Growth and High Debt The new government steps into an economic quagmire marked by weak growth, high taxes, and a government debt that has tripled since 2007. Public spending is teetering on the brink of crisis with deteriorating public services adding to the urgency. Fiscal pressures are mounting due to an…