The Performance and Administration Cabinet Committee of Gravesham Borough Council are scheduled to meet to discuss corporate performance, shared services, partnership working, and responses to government consultations. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 17 September 2025, at the Civic Centre in Gravesend.

Revenues and Benefits Update

The Head of Revenues and Benefits is expected to provide a verbal update on revenues and benefits.

Consultation on Council Tax Administration

The committee will be presented with the council's response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) consultation on modernising and improving the administration of council tax. The Consultation Response - Modernising and Improving the Adminstration of Council Tax includes the council's views on proposals such as changing default bill instalments to 12 months, and modernising council tax disregards¹. The council's response to the consultation, detailed in Appendix 1 GBC Response - Modernising and Improving the Administration of Council Tax, indicates disagreement with the proposal to change the default bill instalments from 10 to 12 months, arguing that the existing system allows taxpayers to request this option and that a change would only result in increased administration. The council also suggests that any changes to instalment plans should only apply to new accounts.

Survey Response: Crisis and Resilience Fund

The committee will consider the council's response to a survey from the Local Government Association (LGA) regarding the Crisis and Resilience Fund. The Survey Response Crisis and resilience Fund Survey relates to the government's announcement of £842 million per year to reform crisis support, including the transformation of the Household Support Fund² into a new Crisis and Resilience Fund. The LGA survey sought views on the demand for local welfare provision and the impact of the new fund. Gravesham Borough Council's response to the LGA survey is detailed in Appendix 2 GBC response to LGA survey.

Corporate Performance Report

The committee will review the Corporate Performance - Q1 2025-26 for the first quarter of 2025-26, which provides an update against the Performance Management Framework (PMF) introduced within the council's Corporate Plan³. The report includes statistical performance data and qualitative updates on the council's activities in relation to its policy commitments. The Performance and Administration Portfolio - Q1 2025-26 indicates that processing times for new Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction claims are above the target of 20 days, while processing changes in circumstances remains below the expected level of 5 days. The report notes that the migration of cases to Universal Credit⁴ means that councils only receive more complex cases, increasing the volume of work. As of 30 June 2025, approximately 26% of the internal audit plan was underway, and plan delivery (audit fieldwork completed) was 0%. The Internal Audit team also has a performance indicator relating to the implementation of agreed actions.

Annual Review of the Audit and Counter Fraud Shared Service

The committee will discuss the annual review of the Internal Audit & Counter Fraud Shared Service with Medway Council. The PA Covering report - IACF Annual Review 2025 includes a copy of the annual review document at IACF Shared Service Annual Review 2025. The review indicates that the Internal Audit resource is split approximately 64% for Medway and 36% for Gravesham, while Counter Fraud Resource is approximately 76% for Medway and 24% for Gravesham. The service has an establishment of 16 officers. The review also notes that approximately 30% of Gravesham's counter fraud resource is directed to the investigation of internal disciplinary and grievance matters. The review identifies fraud savings in excess of £688,000 across the partnership during 2024-25. The review also notes that the Economic Crime & Corporate Transparency Act 2023 introduced a new offence of 'Failing to Prevent Fraud', which comes into effect from 1 September 2025, and that the council is in the process of assessing each council against Home Office guidance in relation to this offence.

Corporate Register of Partnerships

The committee will be presented with the Corporate Register of Partnerships - PA Committee - July 2025, which provides a central record of partnerships in which the council is involved. The PA Cabinet Committee - Partnerships - Covering report notes that the current partnerships and joint working arrangements that most directly relate to the work of the Performance & Administration Committee are the Internal Audit & Counter Fraud Shared Service, and the Legal and Information Governance Shared Service.