Appendix 1 Summary of Swindon s Debt Collection Rates 2012/13 2013/14 Comments and Comparisons Council Tax 97.9% 97.40% The collection rate reduced following the introduction of the Local Council Tax Support scheme. The amount of the reduction was better than predicted. The collection rates for other Unitary Authorities, who introduced similar Council Tax Support schemes, reduced by similar percentages. Business Rates 97.8% 98.3% A good increase in the collection rate for Businesses. For retention purposes the reduction in rates payments following successful appeals by businesses impacted the rates income for the Council. Business Improvement (Town Centre) 93.1% 95.1% A successful year in collecting BID charges saw the collection level achieve 2% above that in the previous year. Housing 98.77%* 98.61%* Slight reduction in collection, but collection higher than predicted following the introduction of the underoccupancy changes to Housing Benefits, which affected over 1,000 tenants. Miscellaneous Number of debts paid in 60 days Overpaid Benefits Car Parking Penalty Charge Notices 94.9% 94.35% A high level of collection maintained. The average for invoices paid in 90 days for other unitary authorities when previously benchmarked was 84%. 84.0% 87.4% Improving on a very high level of collection. 73.0% 73.12%. Collection rates have been maintained and are in line with rates for similar authorities. *Based on the previous best Value indicator used by local authorities
Appendix 2 Summary of cash collected 1 st April 2013 31 st March 2014 Debt Type Cash Council Tax 92,872,754 Non domestic Rates 106,006,345* Benefit Overpayments 3,224,142 Car Parking Penalty Charge Notices 756,400 Housing Rents 47,836,814 Oracle Miscellaneous Invoices 45,936,338 Total Cash 296,632,793 *Business Rate payments made in respect of debts due in 2013/14 only.
Appendix 3 Summary of s 1 st April 2013 31 st March 2014 Debt Type Amount Written Off Relates To All Years Annual Charges Due Council Tax 885,976 94,183,240 Non domestic Rates 1,060,589 107,413,996 Benefit Overpayments 0* 3,339,171 Car Parking Penalty Charge Notices 211,661 743,550** Housing Rents 146,367 49,122,127 Oracle Miscellaneous Invoices 279,266 45,466,002 Total 2,583,859 300,268,086 Amounts written off as a percentage of the Annual Charges raised 0.86% *A write off list of Overpaid Benefits with a value of 464,770 is currently being verified ** Value of car parking penalty charge notices once 50% for prompt payment discount granted.
Appendix 4: Council Tax By Year Year During Which Amount Fell Due Amount Written Off 1993-2002 9,310 2003/4 10,914 2004/5 18,967 15322.32 2005/6 22,707 2006/7 33,266 2007/8 67,216 2008/9 147,807 2009/10 2008/9 325,934 59,436 2009/10 2010/11 228,850 34,508 42808.03 2011/12 16,939 2010/11 23,941 2012/13 4,066 2011/12 1,477 2013/14 0 Total 885,976
Appendix 5: Categories to be submitted for Category Requirement Action Claimant deceased Claimant absconded Claimant in bankruptcy or liquidation or other insolvency proceedings Debt cannot be proved (conflict of evidence) Ill Health & no means Undue hardship All recovery action appropriate to the debt has been taken and has not resulted in collection (All Avenues Exhausted) Insufficient funds in estate to discharge debt All attempts to trace debtor have failed. Including tracing agent (above 100). Including long-term imprisonment (36 months). A claim against the debtor has been lodged with the administrators. No dividend is to be paid or the balance after the dividend is submitted. An explanation should be given as to why recovery cannot be made. Written evidence of one of the following criteria Terminal illness and limited means Where payment would cause further ill health Old age and frailty and no financial assistance Severely mentally impaired and no financial assistance Long term hospitalisation or residential care and no means left to pay Where the debtor can provide written evidence of genuine financial difficulty. Showing evidence of inability to pay even small instalments or that such payment will cause undue hardship. Action in the Magistrates Court or County Court has failed to recover the debt. In the case of miscellaneous debts that would be subject to County Court action, external agents are used instead of court action, in order to avoid the council paying large court fees, which would be unlikely to be recovered.