Issue - meetings

Petition on Council Tax Enforcement

Meeting: 28/09/2016 - Policy and Resources Committee (Item 85)

85 Report of the Deputy Head of Legal Partnership - Petition on Council Tax Enforcement pdf icon PDF 73 KB

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

1)  That the petition be noted;

2)  That the procedures put in place currently to enforce unpaid council tax be noted; and

3)  That the Committee requests Officers to prepare a briefing note on procedures for Council Tax payment of outstanding debt in other Kent authorities.

 

Minutes:

Members considered the report of the Deputy Head of Legal Partnership which related to the Petition presented by Mr Hicks previously on Council Tax Enforcement.

 

Members noted that the Council followed procedures set out in the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992 to collect council tax and to deal with non-payment.

 

The Deputy Head of Legal Partnership explained that when an instalment is missed the Council would send a reminder notice requesting payment within 7 days.  A second reminder and/or final notice would be issued if a resident failed to make payment.

 

Members were advised that the individual’s circumstances were always taken into account (i.e. whether they had genuine difficulties in making payments or were refusing to pay or engage).

 

Following questions from Members, the Deputy Head of Legal Partnership advised as follows:-

·  that if a charging order was placed on the property for unpaid council tax, it could be several years before the property was sold or

  re-mortgaged and even then there would need to be sufficient funds
  from the sale or re-mortgage before the debt could be paid to
  the Council;

·  that Officers would investigate what procedures other Kent authorities carry out in relation to outstanding council debt and provide a briefing note to Members

 

RESOLVED:

 

1)  That the petition be noted;

Voting:  For:  15  Against:  0  Abstentions:  0

2)  That the procedures put in place currently to enforce unpaid council tax be noted; and

Voting:  For:  15  Against:  0  Abstentions:  0

3)  That the Committee requests Officers to prepare a briefing note on procedures for Council Tax payment of outstanding debt in other Kent authorities.

Voting:  For:  15  Against:  0  Abstentions:  0