Issue - meetings

This report provides details of the value of irrecoverable accounts under £2,000 that have been written off under delegated authority in the current financial year.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

(i)                 That the Executive Member be advised to note the amount of £357,866 of accounts valued at less than £2,000 written off in the 2008/09 financial year under the Head of Finance’s delegated authority;

(ii)               That Officers be thanked for their successful and effective work in keeping arrears at a low level. 

Decision of the Executive Member

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

REASON:      For information, and to enable the Executive Member to monitor action taken under delegated powers.

Members considered a report which provided details of irrecoverable accounts under £2,000 that had been written off under delegated authority in the current financial year, up to September 2008.

A total of £357,866 had been written off to date, comprising:

• £41,748 under national non-domestic rates
• £17,178 under sundry debtors
• £249,158 under council tax
• £49,782 under overpaid housing benefit.

Details were set out in paragraph 4 of the report.  It was noted that the values for write-off fell well within the provision made for bad debt in the Council’s accounts.

Officers stated that the following amendments were required to the report:

·        Page 81, in the table, the fifth heading amend from ‘Total in 07/08’ to ‘Total in 08/09’.

·        Paragraph 18, page 83, the reference to para. 30 amend to read para.16.

Members questioned the staffing levels and resource costs involved in following up these debts.

Following further discussion

Advice of the Advisory Panel

(i)                 That the Executive Member be advised to note the amount of £357,866 of accounts valued at less than £2,000 written off in the 2008/09 financial year under the Head of Finance’s delegated authority;

(ii)               That Officers be thanked for their successful and effective work in keeping arrears at a low level. 

Decision of the Executive Member

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

REASON:      For information, and to enable the Executive Member to monitor action taken under delegated powers.