Issue - meetings

Report No:   CAB/SE/15/084

Cabinet Member: Ian Houlder         Lead Officer: Joanne Howlett

RESOLVED:

That the write-off of the amounts detailed in the exempt appendices to Report No: CAB/SE/15/084 be approved, as follows:

(1)     Exempt Appendix 1: Council Tax totalling £21,402.51

(2)     Exempt Appendix 2: Business Rates totalling £35,442.94

The Cabinet considered Report No: CAB/SE/15/084, which provided the collection data in respect of Council Tax and National Non-Domestic Rates and sought approval for the write-off of debts as contained in the Exempt Appendices.

Councillor Ian Houlder, Portfolio Holder for Resources and Performance, drew relevant issues to the attention of the Cabinet, including the current collection performance, as set out in Section 3 of the report.

He added that the Council was continuing to lobby via the Local Government Association for a change to the Licensing Act 2003.  Subject to the four licensing objectives prescribed in the Licensing Act 2003 being satisfactorily met, the Council, as Licensing Authority, currently had no option but to grant an application for a Premises’ Licence even if the business owner had not paid their business rates across a range of premises. The Council was therefore lobbying for an amendment to the Act to enable Licensing Authorities to refuse or remove a Licence from those business owners that had not paid business rates.

RESOLVED:

That the write-off of the amounts detailed in the exempt appendices to Report No: CAB/SE/15/084 be approved, as follows:

(1)     Exempt Appendix 1: Council Tax totalling £21,402.51

(2)     Exempt Appendix 2: Business Rates totalling £35,442.94