IRRV success

A joint submission from East Riding of Yorkshire Council and arvato government services saw the benefits team being named as the winning "benefits team of the year" at the annual IRRV conference (Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation).

The ceremony was held in Brighton on Thursday, October 12.

Nigel Pearson, the council's chief executive, said: "I'm absolutely delighted. This achievement reinforces the strength of the partnership."

The council's benefits team won the same award in 2002, making it the only such team to win twice. This is the first time the council-arvato government services partnership has reaped a major award since it was established in 2005.

A major part of the benefits team's work has involved advising pensioners on their benefit entitlement. In the past year, 1,700 pensioners have been assisted and now receive the proper level of benefit.

The submission also focused on the implementation of the local housing allowance, a new way of paying benefit to tenants, which was introduced in 2005, and the innovative use of technology to speed up benefit claims.

The anti-fraud team also attended the ceremony as finalists in the "anti-fraud team of the year" category. They were one of five teams shortlisted out of 350 local authorities.

Sue Lockwood, director of corporate resources at the council, said: "The anti-fraud team makes an outstanding contribution along with the benfits team to the East Riding. Last year the anti-fraud team attracted £500,000 via a performance award from the government."

Rainer Majcen, Managing Director of arvato government services, said: "This is a great result for a great piece of team work. It clearly demonstrates how the public and private sectors can work together as partners to deliver high performance on those services that matter most to citizens."

The key speakers at the awards were former local government minister Nick Raynsford and James Plaskitt, parliamentary under secretary in the Department for Work and Pensions.