RESOURCES SERVICE
The Resources Service Team consists of five main sections that provide a range of services to support the effective and efficient running of the Council, its elected Members and its employees.
The Resource’s function represents the internal and corporate backbone of the Council, providing the platform from which all other services can be delivered.
The Assistant Director (Resources) acts as the Council’s principal Financial advisor and performs the role of Chief Finance Officer, as required by statute.
Human Resources
The Human Resources team provides the full range of services you would expect from a professional Human Resources section.
The team’s involvement begins with the recruitment of the employee followed closely by the induction of that employee into the nature and culture of the Council.
The team will ensure the employee is correctly paid and receives all appropriate rewards and other entitlements due to them.
The team will facilitate the provision of directed and relevant Learning & Development opportunities for all employees, ensuring those employees are appropriately developed in and for their role.
As well as supporting the employee throughout their career with the Council, the Human Resources team will act as professional advisor to and for the Council in respect of employment law and practices.
Legal Services
The Legal Services team will undertake the core legal work of the Council, covering the majority of the Council’s legal requirements.
The team will take responsibility for the Council’s approach to risk management, emergency planning (please see below) and the Council’s provision for its Business Continuity arrangements.
In additional to the team the Council has in place a Panel of Solicitors to undertake work of a specialist nature and to help with any "peaks" in legal activity.
A valuation service also forms part of the remit of the Legal Services team and is delivered by an external arrangement from a company specialising in this area of work.
The head of the Legal Services acts as the Council’s principal legal advisor, undertaking the statutory role of Monitoring Officer.
Revenues and Benefits
The Revenue & Benefits team deals with a range of separate but harmonious services predominately revolving around the benefit giving and the tax collecting roles of the Council.
The benefits service processes claims for rent rebates (Council tenants), rent allowances (private tenants), and Council Tax benefit (all residents).
The benefits service also gives advice on benefits and deal with appeals and internal reviews. At any one time the housing benefit caseload is approximately 2,500 claims.
The revenue service involves the invoicing and recovery of approximately £25 million of Council Tax and £9 million of Business Rates.
The average Council Tax bill for 2007/2008 is £1,359.76 and includes money collected on behalf of the North Yorkshire County Council (69p in the pound), North Yorkshire Police Authority (14p in the pound) and North Yorkshire Fire Authority (4p in the pound), as well as for Richmondshire Council (13p in the pound).
Finance
The Finance team deals with the production of the Council's Financial Statements, Medium-Term Financial Plan/Strategy, the provision of corporate financial advice, treasury management, corporate procurement and the Council’s insurance arrangements.
The team also manages the Council’s payroll provision, creditor services, debt collection & credit control (including housing benefit overpayments) and the administration of the Council's Concessionary travel scheme.
The Finance team take responsibility for the provision of financial management information on budgets and unit costs and fully support the delegated budget holders across the Council in their role of custodians of public funds.
The provision of an Internal Audit service also sits with the Finance team, but is managed directly by the Assistant Director (Resources).
Democratic Services
The Democratic Services team takes full responsibility for the servicing of all meetings of the Council, its Committees, work groups and forums.
The team provides an Electoral Service, maintaining the electoral register and giving information and advice on the electoral process.
The team also provides advice on election matters and undertakes the conduct and organisation of local elections.
Scrutiny and its support are a growing and important function within the Council. A dedicate support is provided by the team to Members in their scrutiny challenges.
Emergency Planning
Peacetime emergency planning is managed by the Assistant Director
(Resources) who will facilitate reports in respect of Emergency
planning issues and events.
The Assistant Director (Resources) takes
responsibility for updating the civil emergency plan, arranging
emergency
planning training for the Council and ensuring that appropriate
co-ordination of the district civil emergency plan dovetails with
the wider County plans and structure arrangements.
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Last updated:
07 March 2008
