Issue - meetings

This report asks for Executive Member approval to write-off irrecoverable accounts each one over £2,000 in value, for National Non-Domestic Rates, Sundry Debtors and Housing Benefit Overpayments.  It also provides details of the value of other irrecoverable accounts under £2,000 that have been written-off under delegated authority in the current financial year.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

(i)           That the amount of £628,849 shown in para. 4, (the individual debts are listed in the attached annexes), taking note that each debt has a greater value than £2,000, be approved for write off;

(ii)         That the amount of £503,639 (shown in para. 4) of accounts valued at less than £2,000 written off in the 2007/08 financial year under the Head of Finance’s delegated authority be noted.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASONS:(i) To allow prudent management of the Authorities debt portfolio.

                        (ii) To inform the Executive Member.

Members considered a report which asked for Executive Member approval to write-off irrecoverable accounts each one over £2,000 in value, for National Non-Domestic Rates, Sundry Debtors and Housing Benefit Overpayments. It also provided details of the value of other irrecoverable accounts under £2,000 that had been written-off under delegated authority in the current financial year.

Members were presented with two options:

Option 1 -       To approve for write-off the amount of £628,849 shown in para. 4 (the individual debts were listed in the attached annexes).

Option 2 -            Not to approve the total write-off figure as shown in para. 4.

Members congratulated officers on the level of debt that had been recovered and for lowering the percentage of write offs.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

(i)           That the amount of £628,849 shown in para. 4, (the individual debts are listed in the attached annexes), taking note that each debt has a greater value than £2,000, be approved for write off¹;

(ii)         That the amount of £503,339 (shown in para. 4) of accounts valued at less than £2,000 written off in the 2007/08 financial year under the Head of Finance’s delegated authority be noted.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASONS:(i) To allow prudent management of the Authorities debt portfolio.

                        (ii) To inform the Executive Member.