Issue - meetings

Report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services to follow  

The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services that detailed the steps being taken to manage uncollected debt owed to the Council; indicating that the Audit and Governance Committee would be asked to recommence considering write-offs of bad debt over £10,000, with the S151 Officer and Monitoring Officer reviewing requests under £10,000; and which provided an update on  performance information relating to the Council’s contracted Enforcement Agents. 

The report indicated that Sefton Council raised a significant proportion of its total income through local taxes and charges and had a duty to recover sums outstanding; that at a time of significant financial pressure for the Council, income collection was particularly important to ensure that valuable frontline services continued; that the management of this income was a key business area for the Council; and that the report sought to provide insight into the debt position and the risks associated with it.

The report also provided information on the Corporate Debt Policy, annual charges raised, current arrears outstanding, Council Tax and Business Rates collection performance, bad debt for write off including enforcement agent performance, bad debt provisions and future service enhancements.

Attached as Appendix 1 to the report was the Corporate Debt Policy – Revised May 2023.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·       The management of debt relating to schemes supported by the Government

·       The operation of the payment hotline that was available 24 hours a day 7 days a week

·       The special payment arrangements which must be made with the agreement of the Council and could only be accepted by Direct Debit

·       Regarding the Exceptional Hardship Payment Fund, who decided the criteria of “exceptional circumstances” when a claimant was seeking a reduction of their Council Tax with a discretionary award

·       Did the Council have a percentage of debt write-off that it would not exceed

·       The rate of increase in the amount of Sundry Debt as detailed in Table 3.2 of the report

·       Was there a de minimis for pursuing council tax debt for example, if someone owed 80p would the formal process of writing to them take place

RESOLVED: That