The Leicestershire Partnership Revenues & Benefits Joint Committee met on Thursday 22 January 2026, approving the proposed budget for 2026/2027. The committee also received updates on the financial performance up to December 2025, the performance report up to November 2025, and the Partnership's Service Plan for 2026/2027.

2026/2027 Proposed Budget

The committee approved the proposed budget for the Leicestershire Partnership Revenue & Benefits for the 2026/2027 financial year. The draft budget indicated an increase of £189,170 for the Partnership, primarily due to capital investment in systems and software, as well as the replacement of laptops and equipment. This increase necessitates higher funding contributions from partner authorities. The budget includes a provision for a 3.2% pay award for 2026/27 and accounts for salary costs, pension contributions, and annual pay increments. Partner contributions were recalculated based on the budget and split according to the Partnership Agreement, with specific arrangements for search and liability expenses.

Financial Performance to December 2025

Members were presented with the financial performance of the Partnership for the period April to December 2025. The report indicated an overall net underspend on expenditure of £118,109. This underspend was largely attributed to vacant posts, which were projected to increase the partnership's reserves. A key variance noted was an underspend of £104,000 in salaries due to vacant posts, partially offset by one-off staff costs. Postage costs were overspent by £13,000. Officers confirmed that the possibility of returning some of the reserves to the partner authorities, particularly in light of IT investments, would be reviewed and reported back to the committee.

Performance Report to November 2025

The committee received an update on the Partnership's performance for the period ending November 2025. The report detailed caseload data for Housing Benefit (HB) and Council Tax Support (CTS) across Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council (HBBC), Harborough District Council (HDC), and North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC). It also provided performance indicators for benefits processing times, Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) collection, and Housing Benefit overpayment recovery. The report highlighted that the Partnership continued to deliver well within national benchmarks for processing new claims and changes in circumstances. The subsidy position for LA error and time delays was noted as healthy across all three authorities. An update was also provided on the upcoming Crisis and Resilience Fund, which would be introduced from 1 April 2026, and the final stages of the Universal Credit managed migration.

Leicestershire Partnership Service Plan 2026/2027

The committee was presented with the 2026/2027 Service Plan for the Leicestershire Partnership Revenues and Benefits. The plan outlined the commitment to delivering efficient, customer-focused services across the three councils, aligning with their corporate objectives. Key aims included accurate and timely administration of benefits and revenues, maximising collection rates while supporting those in financial hardship, advancing digital access and automation, and ensuring compliance, equality, and value for money. The plan detailed the scope of services, including Council Tax management, Housing Benefit administration, Business Rates management, Council Tax Reduction Scheme, and fraud investigation. It also highlighted national and local agenda items such as crisis and resilience funding, the impact of the removal of Retail Relief, and potential changes to Council Tax regulations. The plan also detailed key projects for improvement, including the implementation of self-service options, automation of benefit file transfers, and business process re-engineering.

Forward Plan

The committee noted the forward plan, which outlined upcoming reports and decisions for the Joint Committee. This included future financial performance reports, performance reports, internal audit reports, and the year-end financial and performance reports.

Dates of Future Meetings

The dates for future meetings of the Joint Committee were noted, including the next meeting on 26 March 2026 and the 2026/27 Annual Meeting on 25 June 2026.