Agenda item

Report of the Group Director of Operations.

The Cabinet Member with the Resources Portfolio introduced the report of the Group Director of Operations (previously circulated) providing Members with an update on the collection of Council Tax, Business Rates and Council Rents during 2020/21 and requesting that consideration be given to the writing-off of debts over £500 that were considered to be irrecoverable.

The submitted report stated that collection of Council Tax, Business Rates and Council Rents during 2020/21 had been a significant challenge due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; normal recovery and enforcement activities had not been possible as the Courts had been closed and the recovery of debts with Enforcement Agents had been suspended; and that despite those challenges, a total of £103.1M of Council Tax, Business Rates and Council Rents had been collected in 2020/21.

Particular reference was made to a total of £761,212 of debts in respect of individual cases of Council Tax, Business Rates and Council Rents, exceeding £500 for the financial year 2020/21, which were considered irrecoverable and had become apparent that no further steps could be taken to recover those sums.

RESOLVED – (a) That the report be noted.

(b)  That the write-off of £761,212 of debts over £500, be approved, subject to further steps for recovery being taken, wherever possible, if and when contact with the debtor is made. 

REASONS – (a)  The collection of Council Tax, Business Rates and Council Rents underpins the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan.

(b)  The write-off of irrecoverable debts enables the Council’s accounts to be maintained in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules.?????