Issue - meetings

Report No:   CAB/JT/18/021

Portfolio Holder: FHDC Cllr Stephen Edwards and SEBC Cllr Ian Houlder         

Lead Officer: Rachael Mann

RESOLVED:

That the write-off of the amounts detailed in the exempt appendices to Report No: CAB/JT/18/021, be approved, as follows:

(1)     Exempt Appendix 1: FHDC Council Tax totalling £9,602.00

(2)     Exempt Appendix 2: SEBC Council Tax totalling £29,404.88

(3)     Exempt Appendix 3: FHDC Business Rates totalling £56,255.40

(4)     Exempt Appendix 4: SEBC Business Rates totalling £41,225.83

(5)     Exempt Appendix 5: SEBC Sundry Debt totalling £2,917.08

(This decision was stated as a Key Decision on FHDC and SEBC Decisions Plans published on 22 June 2018; however, given the amounts requested to be written-off, this no longer constitutes a Key Decision.)

The Joint Committee considered the above report, which provided the collection data in respect of Council Tax and National Non-Domestic Rates for both Forest Heath District Council (FHDC and St Edmundsbury Borough Council (SEBC) and sought approval for the write-off of FHDC and SEBC debts as contained in the Exempt Appendices.

The Chairman explained that whilst each Cabinet was familiar with the format for presenting the quarterly write-off reports to each authority, this was the first occasion that both FHDC’s and SEBC’s proposed write-offs were contained in a combined report.  The write-offs themselves were however, listed separately in the Exempt Appendices to ensure the distinction between the two authorities remained clear.

Councillors Ian Houlder and Stephen Edwards, SEBC and FHDC Portfolio Holders for Resources and Performance respectively, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Joint Committee, including the current collection performances of each authority, as set out in Section 3 of the report.

Following a brief discussion, Members considered that further detailed discussion on specific elements of the Exempt Appendices was required in private session.