Issue - meetings

This report seeks agreement to write off a number of former tenants arrears.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to approve option 2 which involves writing off FTAs of £20450.77 as detailed in Annex A.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  In line with the recommendations of the audit report detailed in paragraph 2 and also for the financial implications listed in the report.

Members considered a report which sought agreement to write off a number of former tenants arrears.

As previously agreed by EMAP, write off reports would be brought to EMAP every 6 months. This would assist officers and members in the monitoring process and should give a clearer view on performance throughout the year. Details of individual cases were set out in Annex A.

Members were presented with two options:

Option A: Maintain these Former Tenant Arrears (FTAs) on accounts. This would lead to an increase in the bad debt provision and would go against good practice as commented on in the Housing Inspectors report of October 2002.

Option B: Write the debts off on the understanding that if necessary they could be reinstated at a later date.

Members congratulated and thanked the Income Management Team for their efforts in reducing the number of former tenants arrears.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Housing be advised to approve option 2 which involves writing off FTAs of £20450.77 as detailed in Annex A.

Decision of the Executive Member for Housing

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  In line with the recommendations of the audit report detailed in paragraph 2 and also for the financial implications listed in the report.