Our employee Steve Rybaruk shares his thoughts on the recent IRRV Annual Conference [7-8 October 2024].
Just got back from the amazing IRRV Annual Conference with Liberata, and what an experience it was. We were nominated for five IRRV awards—even though we didn’t win this time, making it to the finals in so many categories was a huge achievement. It was great celebrating our work with partners like Devon County Council, Brent Council, and Swindon Borough Council. Some standouts from being awards finalists were:
- Working with Devon County Council to revoke 1,071 ineligible Single Person Discounts, generating £558,702 in additional revenue.
- Helping Brent Council unlock £9 million through smart strategies like maximising the New Homes Bonus and reviewing Business Rate claims.
- Supporting Swindon Borough Council in automating 55% of their revenues and benefits work, resulting in 34% savings and improving new claims processing to under 10 days.
The exhibition hall was buzzing, and our stand had a lot of footfall. Special shoutout to the awesome magician Jordan O’Grady for keeping everyone entertained. We had some great conversations about how we’re helping councils tackle budget deficits and boost revenues—topics that are clearly top of mind for many.
We also talked a lot about debt recovery—many councils are sitting on static debt, which only gets harder to collect as time goes on. At Liberata, we take a softer, more customer-friendly approach to tackling debt. It’s all about helping councils recoup what’s owed and reinvest in vital services.
If you’re interested in how Liberata can help your council reduce budget deficits and boost collections, get in touch.
About Steve Rybaruk
Steve joined Liberata in 2003 and has over 25 years of experience in the Revenues and Assessment field in both the public and private sectors. He is a key member of the Senior Management Team, leading the Revenues and Assessments Solutions and Innovation functions. Steve is responsible for the Future Operating Model, service strategy, and benchmarking programme, ensuring cost-effective and high-value solutions for local government clients.
Get in touch with Steve steven.rybaruk@liberata.com