Issue - meetings

Report No:   CAB/SE/16/053

Portfolio Holder: Ian HoulderLead Officer: Rachael Mann

RESOLVED:

That the write-off of the amounts detailed in the exempt appendices to Report No: CAB/SE/16/053, be approved, as follows:

(1)     Exempt Appendix 1: Council Tax totalling £8,407.88

(2)     Exempt Appendix 2: Business Rates totalling £31,655.66

(3)     Exempt Appendix 3: Overpayment of Housing Benefit totalling £6,725.44

The Cabinet considered Report No: CAB/SE/16/053, 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.

The Cabinet was pleased to note that following work undertaken by the West Suffolk councils (and others) with the Local Government Association (LGA) regarding changes to legislation to support the prevention of businesses building up thousands of pounds in unpaid business rates, the LGA had recently raised the profile of the issue through a press release which called for new legislation to stop phoenix companies from being created with no obligation to pay their old company’s business rates debts.  In addition to this, the LGA also called for changes to licensing powers which would allow the suspension of an existing premises licence or refusal of a new application if business rates remained unpaid.  Updates on this matter would be provided to the Cabinet as and when further information became available.

RESOLVED:

That the write-off of the amounts detailed in the exempt appendices to Report No: CAB/SE/16/053, be approved, as follows:

(1)     Exempt Appendix 1: Council Tax totalling £8,407.88

(2)     Exempt Appendix 2: Business Rates totalling £31,655.66

(3)     Exempt Appendix 3: Overpayment of Housing Benefit totalling £6,725.44