The Future of Petra
Much has been said about the roll out of Petra in 2013. Whilst arguably it does its job it is criticised for being over complicated and unwieldy. Elements of its functionality cannot be used without crashing the system and there are problems with its data reporting.
Petra is scheduled to be superseded within two years when the software platforms on which is depends IE9 will no longer be supported. As part of Citizens Advice One Service Strategy we are promised intuitive technology that 'just works'. The One Service Strategy is a major strategic overhaul of the service and will cover important areas such as changes to the advice model and audit arrangements. You can get involved in the consultation by looking through the documents on the above link.
Team Meeting
This Wednesday was our quarterly team meeting. around 20 staff and volunteers gathered to receive briefings on Gateway Credit Union, achievements and progress of the Bureau, clients stories and successes, the One Service Strategy and New Advice Model as well as a live demonstration of how to raise a bureau evidence form on Petra.
The slides from the meeting can be viewed here
Client story of the week.
We helped an extremely distressed gentleman this week who faced losing his home and belongings because of delays in his application for Employment Support Allowance and knock on effects to his Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. Following our intervention the possession action and bailiff action were both suspended. The client was extremely relieved and appreciative.
Internet problems at Pontypool Bureau
For much of Thursday and Friday morning this week the internet connection into Pontypool Bureau went down. We were able to continue our normal service although advisers were forced to delay posting casenotes onto Petra. The fault was caused by a loose connection in the BT street box.
Training places available
TCAB has two vacancies for adviser training places in our debt and our benefits teams. Please contact myself, David or Andrea for further information and a copy of the 'opportunity profile'.
Valleys report
The Center for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University has released its report 'The impact of Welfare Reform in the Valley's. This is the first report to look down to a local authority ward level and it makes pretty grim reading demonstrating that in some districts the average loss of income per working age adult will be as high as £1000. Worst hit in Torfaen will be Trevethin with a loss of £850 per head per year. Overall £34 million will be removed from the Torfaen ecomony and across the valleys as a whole 3000 jobs will be lost as a result of the impact on disposable income.
You can read the full report here
Future dates
Annual General Meeting due to be held on Friday 10th October has had to be rescheduled. new dates will be available shortly.
Staff and volunteer satisfaction survey opens: Monday 3rd November
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