Council use of external enforcement agencies for debt-collecting
Case reference FOI2024/00243
Published 29 February 2024
Request
I would please like to request the following information:
1) In the financial years 21/22, 22/23 and 23/24 (Up to 07.02.24), could you please provide me with the total monetary value of council-related debts (such as council tax, parking fines, failures to pay business rates and housing arrears) which were referred to external enforcement agencies?
2) Of this figure, please could you provide the amount that was recovered by external debt agencies broken down for each of the financial years referenced?
3) For each of those financial years, please provide the number of complaints the council has received about the conduct of external bailiffs and debt collectors.
Response
I would please like to request the following information:
1) In the financial years 21/22, 22/23 and 23/24 (Up to 07.02.24), could you please provide me with the total monetary value of council-related debts (such as council tax, parking fines, failures to pay business rates and housing arrears) which were referred to external enforcement agencies?
A) Council Tax
2021/22 - £2,571,710.29
2022/23 - £2,076,213.45
2023/24 - £2,658,410.52
NNDR
2021/22 - £377,078.85
2022/23 - £324,780.06
2023/24 - £310,936.81
Business Improvement District
2021/22 - £25,938.05
2022/23 - £11,363.61
2023/24 - £6,452.35
Overpayment of Housing Benefits
2021/22 - £2,867.35
2022/23 - £104,356.84
2023/24 - £53,153.79
Sundry debt
2021/22 - £10,132.36
2022/23 - £14,560.11
2023/24 - £49,141.61
Commercial Rent
2021/22 - £0.00
2022/23 - £0.00
2023/24 - £29,808.28
Parking
2021/22 - £79,810.60
2022/23 - £67,575.38
2023/24 - £44,082
2) Of this figure, please could you provide the amount that was recovered by external debt agencies broken down for each of the financial years referenced?
A) Council Tax
2021/22 - £1,002,323.50
2022/23 - £753,771.15
2023/24 - £795,383.73
NNDR
2021/22 - £69,034.94
2022/23 - £113,776.20
2023/24 - £132,481.47
BID
2021/22 - £6,849.71
2022/23 - £2,536.59
2023/24 - £4,959.23
Overpayment of Housing Benefits
2021/22 - £2,534.40
2022/23 - £5,409.70
2023/24 - £7,225.22
Sundry debt
2021/22 - £4,457.36
2022/23 - £6,941.27
2023/24 - £2,893.90
Commercial Rent
2021/22 - £0.00
2022/23 - £0.00
2023/24 - £0.00
Parking
2021/22 - £79,810.60
2022/23 - £67,575.38
2023/24 - £44,082
3) For each of those financial years, please provide the number of complaints the council has received about the conduct of external bailiffs and debt collectors.
A) We received 2 complaints for parking fines in 2023 (1 of which was assessed and reviewed by the ombudsman). We have not received any complaints regarding the conduct of the external bailiffs.
Documents
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