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MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL
CABINET MEMBER FOR CORPORATE SERVICES
REPORT OF THE HEAD OF ICT SERVICES
Report prepared by: Lee Davey and Dave Lindsay
Date: 11 August 2011
1. Street Naming and Numbering Revenue
1.1 Issue for Decision
1.1.1 To agree the level of charges for Street Naming and Numbering set out in this report.
1.1.2 Recommendation of the Head of ICT Services
1.1.2.1 Agrees the levels of charges for street naming and numbering outlined in this report to commence with effect from 1st September 2011.
1.1.3 Background
1.1.3.1 The Council does not currently charge for this service unlike
most other Kent authorities who have secured an income stream
based upon this activity. Information relating to charges applied
by other Councils is attached at Appendix 1.
1.1.3.2 The Street Naming and Numbering Officer (SNNO) deals with requests from residents who wish to register their properties officially and those who wish to make changes to their current address, such as the addition of a house name. Property developers also use this service to name and number housing developments.
The SNNO ensures that:
· The correct street names are assigned to each property;
· The numbering range is consistent and not duplicated;
· New street names are agreed with all interested parties;
· The addresses are officially registered with the Royal Mail;
· All stakeholders are notified including the Emergency Services; and
· The National Land & Property Gazetteer (NLPG) is updated.
1.1.3.3 The SNNO is an existing post, and no change to grade or scale is proposed at this point. The future costs of this function will be assessed as part of the review of the GIS function across MKIP.
1.1.3.4 A scale of charges should be implemented to reflect the amount of administration required to undertake this service.
1.1.3.5 In February 2011 CMT agreed in principle to levy fees for street
naming and numbering, but asked that some further work be done in identifying the relevant charges for other local authorities in Kent. This work has been done and is attached at Appendix 1.
1.1.3.6 It is proposed that charges will be implemented with effect from 1st September 2011, which will provide an opportunity to publicise the charges in advance of the changes.
1.2 Level of charges.
1.2.1 The proposed level of charges.
The table below uses the statistics from previous years to give an indication of what revenue would have been generated had the charges been in force at that time.
|
Service |
Charge |
2009-10 |
Revenue |
2010-11 |
Revenue |
|
Name change |
£25 |
30 |
£750 |
17 |
£425 |
|
Addition of Name to numbered Property |
£25 |
6 |
£150 |
5 |
£125 |
|
Amendment to Postal Address |
£25 |
14 |
£350 |
15 |
£375 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Build - Individual Property |
£75 |
31 |
£2,325 |
29 |
£2,175 |
|
Official Registration of Postal Address previously not Registered |
£50 |
25 |
£1,250 |
18 |
£900 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Development - Fee per unit/flat |
£40 |
468 |
£18,720 |
580 |
£22,800 |
|
Creation of New Street |
£100 |
9 |
£900 |
23 |
£2,300 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Renumbering of Development or Block of Flats - Fee per unit/flat
|
£20 |
0 |
£0 |
49 |
£980 |
|
Total |
|
|
£24,445 |
|
£30,080 |
Table 1: Proposed fees, and potential revenue based upon historic SNN transactions.
1.2.2 Rationale for level of charges
1.2.2.1 The proposed level of charges set out above are intended to represent a modest cost to private individuals, but are at higher rates for property developers and larger scale developments, where this cost is proportionately small when compared with the developer’s overall costs.
1.3 Reasons for Recommendation
1.3.1 To realise a revenue stream to cover the costs of the Street Naming and Numbering service. Ultimately, it is intended to make the post of SNN Officer self-funding.
1.3.2 To standardise practice for SNN with other Councils.
1.3.3 To add value for money for the general tax payer, as it would introduce a direct charge for the user of the service, rather than a generic charge for the Council Tax payer.
1.4 Alternative Action and why not Recommended
1.4.1 The SNN service can be left unchanged and remain free of charge. This is not recommended because there appears to be a general expectation from both residents and commercial property developers that a charge will be levied. Feedback from some commercial Property Developers in particular suggests that they are often surprised that the service is free.
1.4.2 Maidstone BC will also lose the opportunity to realise income that could help to cover the cost of the service.
1.4.3 In the current economic climate, the Council must explore every potential source of revenue and seek to exploit it if it is deemed appropriate to do so.
1.5 Impact on Corporate Objectives
1.5.1 This proposal will support the achievement of value for money services.
1.6 Risk Management
1.6.1 The powers to charge for SNN have not been tested in a court of law, so there is a risk of legal challenge.
1.6.2 There is a risk is that residents will not officially register their properties but if the cost is relatively modest the impact should be minimal. The cost to commercial developers will be modest in comparison to their total, particularly with larger projects.
1.7 Other Implications
1.7.1
|
1. Financial
|
x |
|
2. Staffing
|
x |
|
3. Legal
|
x
|
|
4. Equality Impact Needs Assessment
|
|
|
5. Environmental/Sustainable Development
|
|
|
6. Community Safety
|
|
|
7. Human Rights Act
|
|
|
8. Procurement
|
|
|
9. Asset Management
|
|
1.7.2 Financial
The charges stated in 1.2.1 are exclusive of VAT.
The cost of the SNN officer post is £29,458 including on-cost.
1.7.3 Staffing.
It is proposed that the Street Naming and Numbering Officer post become self-funding by 2013-14.
1.7.4 Legal
The SNN function is a statutory requirement for all local authorities governed by the:
· Public Health Act 1925: Sections 17, 18 and19 (for street naming and name plates) ;
· Town and Improvement Clauses Act 1847: Sections 64 and 65 (for numbering of properties) ;
· Public Health Act 1875 (for street definition).
1.8 Relevant Documents
1.8.1 Appendices
Appendix 1 – Scale of charges for other Kent authorities.
1.8.2 Background Documents NONE
Appendix 1 :
|
Applications |
Local Authorities |
||||||
|
Ashford |
Canterbury |
Dartford |
Dover |
Gravesham |
Medway |
Sevenoaks |
|
|
Applications |
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
|||
|
Name Change |
£45.00 |
No Charge |
No Charge |
No Charge |
£20.00 |
£45.00 |
|
|
Amendments to Property Details |
|||||||
|
Re-Naming/Numbering Commercial Property |
|||||||
|
Re-Addressing Property on new road |
£80.00 |
||||||
|
Additional Charge for the name of a Block of Flats etc |
|||||||
|
Naming & Numbering a block of flats |
|||||||
|
Change of Building Name e.g. Block of Flats |
|||||||
|
Change of Street Name |
No Charge |
No Charge |
No Charge |
£395.00 |
|||
|
Create/New Street Name |
£100.00 |
No Charge |
No Charge |
No Charge |
|||
|
New Property (1 Unit) |
£45.00 |
No Charge |
No Charge |
No Charge |
£20.00 |
£100.00 |
|
|
New Development or Re-Development per unit |
|||||||
|
New Development (1-5 Units) |
|||||||
|
New Development (2-10 Units) per unit |
£38.00 |
No Charge |
No Charge |
No Charge |
|||
|
New Development (2-10 Units) |
£200.00 |
||||||
|
New Development (over 10 Units) per unit |
£34.00 |
||||||
|
New Development (11-19 Units) |
£300.00 |
||||||
|
New Development (6-25 Units) |
|||||||
|
New Development (20 plus) |
£400.00 plus £15.00 unit |
||||||
|
New Development (4 or more units) per unit |
|||||||
|
New Development (3 to 50 Units) |
£50.00 |
||||||
|
New Development (26-75 Units) |
|||||||
|
New Development incl Street (Up to 30 Units) |
|||||||
|
New Development incl Street (31-65 Units) |
|||||||
|
New Development (over 50 Units) |
£100.00 |
||||||
|
New Development incl Street (Over 65 Units) |
|||||||
|
New Development (over 76 Units) |
|||||||
|
Plan Preparation |
£9.50 |
||||||
|
Historical Information relating to Street Naming |
|||||||
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