Issue - meetings

Members considered a report which detailed debts in respect of Council Tax, National Non-Domestic Rates and Housing Benefit Overpayments which were now deemed irrecoverable, and for which approval was being sought for the debts to be written off.

All the accounts listed for write off had been through a rigorous collection process and/or trace enquiries prior to the submission for write off. Details of the recovery action taken were included at section six in the report, along with an explanation of the Insolvency Act 1986. 

None of the accounts listed currently had any possibility of payment. However, assurance was given that in the event of any dividends or other payments being received, debts could and would be written back onto the accounts.

Members of the Committee raised significant concerns that businesses listed within the report had also been recipients of grant funding through the council, and questioned how that could be the case. Officers undertook to conduct further in depth analysis, and work with a cross-spread of council officers and teams to address such concerns. The Vice-Chairman of the Prosperous Communities Committee offered his assistance if required.

Having been proposed, seconded, and voted upon it was

            RESOLVED that the following arrears be approved for write off:

a)    Council Tax arrears to the value of £91,199.70; and

b)    National Non-Domestic rates arrears to the value of £187,145.47; and

c)    Housing Benefit Overpayments arrears to the value of £9,555.11

Note:              Councillor T. Young requested that his vote against the proposal be on record.