Insights archive
Independent R&B Monday Discussion Group – 20 October 2025 The latest Independent R&B discussion opened with Malcolm Gardner wryly noting that the week’s agenda looked like “a bit of a hodgepodge”—ranging from procurement headaches…
Read articleWhen Reform UK swept to power in several county councils earlier this year, Nigel Farage hailed their victories as a “tectonic shift in British politics.” Kent, in particular, became the test bed for what…
Read articleThere 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…
Read articleRevenues and Benefits Discussion Group 7 July 2024 At the latest meeting of the Independent Revenues & Benefits (R&B) Group, members grappled with a familiar but still unresolved dilemma: how to reconcile the administrative…
Read articleOn 4 November 2024, the Independent R&B Discussion Group met to examine the latest budget and its implications for local services, public spending, and policies affecting welfare and business rates. Led by Malcolm Gardner,…
Read articleThe 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…
Read articleAttention is drawn to the emerging and substantial risk associated with the inadvertent mining of confidential data and proprietary intellectual property stored within SharePoint by generative AI systems, including but not limited to ChatGPT…
Read articleWe returned this week with a great discussion where we looked at the recent Resolution Foundation briefing note for the Health Foundation that looks at pressures on family pay, prices, and properties and the…
Read articleHappy New Year. I wanted to drop you a quick message during our holiday break. I’ve prepared a pack with the latest updates on revenues and benefits, covering what’s been happening with council finances…
Read articleDuring our recent discussion group meeting, we examined the newly declared Office of Local Government (OfLog). The Secretary of State, Michael Gove, has heralded numerous prospective benefits to emerge from OfLog, while maintaining that…
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