Issue - meetings

Report FSD20006

The report provided information regarding the performance of the Revenues Service provided by Liberata for the 6 months from 1 April 2019 to 30^th September 2019.  A letter from Amanda Inwood-Field, Liberata’s London Regional Contract Director, providing an update on each individual service along with statistical data relating to the Revenues Service was included within the report.

A number of Members expressed concerns surrounding long delays in issuing bills when people moved house and Members sought assurances that robust processes were in place to ensure that bills were sent out promptly to avoid Council Tax payers facing unnecessarily high bills resulting from avoidable delays in the issuing of Council Tax demands.  Members requested that the Committee received a report back on this issue as soon as practicable but within 6 months.  The report was to provide the average time taken for demands to be sent following an individual moving into a property.

In relation to the Summons Surgeries referenced in the report, Members noted that the service was utilised by residents and an additional service was provided by the Citizens Advice Bureau.  It was agreed that further information on the Summons Surgeries would be circulated to the Committee following the meeting.  Noting that information about the surgeries was sent out with summons, the Committee suggested that information should also be published on the Council’s website as this would enable Ward Councillors to signpost residents to the support that was available at an early stage.

Turning to the issue of cash payments, the Vice-Chairman noted that more should be done to reduce the volume of cash payments and suggested that more could be done to incentivise the payment of Business Rates by direct debit.

In response to a question, representatives from Liberata confirmed that when a property was developed liability for Council Tax did not increase until the property was sold on.  Liberata liaised with the Council Planning Department and Building Control to gather information on properties being developed in the Borough, however it was down to the Valuation Office to determine any new Council Tax band.  The Chairman noted that a key issue was when properties were developed without Planning Permission as there was no way of knowing whether the unauthorised development would result in increased Council Tax liability.

RESOLVED: That the report and the letter provided by Liberata be noted.