The Leicestershire Partnership Revenues & Benefits Joint Committee met on Thursday 26 March 2026 to review performance and financial reports, and to approve the budget for the upcoming year. The committee approved the proposed budget for 2026/2027 and noted reports on financial and overall performance.

Financial Performance Report

The committee received an update on the financial performance of the Partnership for the period April 2025 to January 2026. Officers reported an overall net underspend on expenditure of £139,540. This was largely due to a significant underspend in salaries, attributed to vacant posts, which was partially offset by an overspend on postage. The forecast year-end position indicated a continued underspend on salaries, which would increase the partnership's reserves. Key variances highlighted included the salary underspend of £121,000 and a postage overspend of £14,000. The report also detailed the composition of the partnership's reserves, which stood at £638,940 as of 31 March 2025.

Performance Report

Members were presented with the Partnership's performance report for the period ending January 2026. The report detailed caseloads for Council Tax dwellings, Non-Domestic Rates, and Housing Benefit/Council Tax Support live caseloads across Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council (HBBC), Harborough District Council (HDC), and North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC). Performance indicators for benefits processing, Council Tax collection, Non-Domestic Rates collection, and Housing Benefit overpayments were also provided. The report noted that performance in Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates collection compared favourably with other local authorities, despite ongoing national challenges linked to the cost of living. However, the team's workload was impacted by a Microsoft 365 upgrade, leading to a backlog of work. The report also touched upon the DWP's Housing Benefit subsidy impact, noting that all three authorities remained significantly above the established thresholds, providing a buffer against potential issues. Preparations for the 2024/25 audit were underway. Updates were also provided on Welfare Reform, including the introduction of the new Crisis and Resilience Fund from 1 April 2026, and the ongoing managed migration of legacy benefit claimants to Universal Credit. The report highlighted that most legacy benefits would cease in April 2026.

2026/2027 Proposed Budget

The committee was presented with the proposed budget for the Leicestershire Partnership Revenue & Benefits for the 2026/2027 financial year. Following a review of the proposals, the committee resolved to approve the budget.

Forward Plan

The Joint Committee's forward plan for 2025-2026 was presented for noting. This plan outlined upcoming reports and decisions, including financial and performance reports, internal audit findings, and the schedule of future meetings. The next meeting was scheduled for 25 June 2026 at Harborough District Council.