The Cabinet of Redbridge Council met on Thursday, 12 March 2026, to discuss a Corporate Debt Management Strategy for 2026/27 and a new Customer Experience Strategy. The meeting also included a review of the council's Forward Plan and a discussion regarding grant funding for the Connect to Work programme.

Corporate Debt Management Strategy 2026/27

The meeting was scheduled to consider the Corporate Debt Management Strategy for the upcoming financial year. This strategy, first adopted in April 2023, aims to ensure that outstanding debts owed to the council are recovered efficiently while also minimising debt and maximising collection rates. The strategy covers a wide range of debts, including Council Tax, Business Rates, parking charges, rent for council properties, housing benefit overpayments, and sundry debts for various council services.

Key objectives of the strategy include maximising income collection through transparent charging, accurate billing, and effective recovery processes. It also aims to recognise the causes of debt, differentiating between those who Can't Pay and those who Won't Pay, to focus recovery methods accordingly. For those facing financial difficulties, the strategy outlines a commitment to providing appropriate assistance, tailored payment arrangements, and signposting to debt advice and support services. For those deemed to Won't Pay, the strategy indicates that appropriate enforcement and recovery tools would be used.

The strategy also emphasizes standardising procedures, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and ensuring that all debt management practices comply with legislation and best practice. It promotes online payments and direct debits as preferred methods, with personalised payment arrangements considered for those struggling. The strategy also details procedures for debt write-off, outlining financial limits for Chief Officers and the requirement for Executive approval for larger write-offs. Performance monitoring of debt recovery is to be conducted monthly and quarterly, with reports to Cabinet.

Customer Experience Strategy

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the Customer Experience Strategy for 2026-2029. This strategy is presented as a cornerstone of the Modernising Redbridge agenda, aiming to improve how residents interact with council services. The strategy moves beyond simply enhancing contact handling or digital services, focusing instead on how the council shows up for residents, builds trust, manages demand, and operates as a coherent system.

The strategy outlines a clear, council-wide direction for service access, empowering staff to resolve issues, and embedding prevention and early intervention. It acknowledges the need for investment in customer experience technology, workforce redesign, and cultural change to achieve a single front door, a single view of the customer, and consistent, joined-up service delivery. The programme is forecast to deliver significant cash-releasing savings over three years, alongside non-financial benefits such as improved resident satisfaction and reduced complaints.

The strategy's objectives include simplifying access to services, resolving issues at the earliest possible point, reducing failure demand (repeat and avoidable contact), embedding early intervention and prevention, and ensuring accessibility and inclusion across all channels. The delivery approach is phased, focusing first on a modernised customer experience model with a single front door, then on data-led early intervention and place-based support through Community Engagement Hubs, and finally on reducing failure demand and embedding the new model. The strategy also emphasizes the importance of technology, governance, and benefits realisation, with a commitment to continuous improvement based on resident feedback and data.

Local London – Connect to Work Grant Funding Agreement

The Cabinet was also scheduled to discuss a new three-year Grant Funding Agreement with the Greater London Authority (GLA) for the delivery of the Connect to Work programme, replacing the current Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Grant Funding Agreement. This report was expected to outline the transition arrangements, including the termination of existing agreements and the issuance of replacement agreements aligned with the GLA Integrated Settlement to ensure continuity of service. The expected outcome was approval of the new Grant Funding Agreement and delegation of authority to finalise and enter into it.

Forward Plan

The meeting agenda also included a review of the Cabinet's Forward Plan, which outlines key decisions planned for the upcoming periods. This typically involves agreeing on the items to be included in the work programme and noting any items subject to specific publicity requirements.

The Cabinet members present were Councillor Kam Rai (Leader of the Council & Labour Group and Cabinet Member for Growth and Regeneration), Councillor Mark A. Santos (Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health), Councillor Helen Mary Coomb (Cabinet Member for Resources and Transformation), Councillor Jo Blackman (Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability), Councillor Khayer M. R. Chowdhury (Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety), Councillor Vanisha Solanki (Deputy Leader of the Council & Labour Group and Cabinet Member for Finance), Councillor Lloyd Jacob Duddridge (Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education), Councillor Namreen B. Chaudhry (Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Communities), and Councillor Sahdia E Warraich (Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Growth), and Councillor Saima (Syeda) Ahmed (Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness). Claire Hamilton was also in attendance.