Report No. 145/2018

Report No.145/2018 was received from the Strategic Director for Resources.

Mr Gordon Brown, Portfolio Holder for Regulatory Services, Waste Management, Planning Policy & Operations, Property Services, Finance including Revenues & Benefits and Internal Audit introduced the report the purpose of which was to seek approval for a revised Corporate Debt Policy detailed at Appendix A and to approve the adoption of the Council Tax Protocol detailed at Appendix B.

Authority was also being sought to enable the Strategic Director for Resources to review and make minor changes to the policy in consultation with the Portfolio Holder; this would ensure that the policy and the Council Tax Protocol could be kept up to date to reflect any changes to legislation, precedents established by case law, guidance from central government and departments such as the Ministry of Justice and best practice.

DECISIONS:

That Cabinet RECOMMENDS to Council

1.    To approve the Corporate Debt Policy detailed at Appendix A

2.    To approve the adoption of the Council Tax Protocol detailed at Appendix B

3.    To approve the authorization of the Strategic Director for Resources, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Regulatory Services, Waste Management, Planning Policy & Operations, Property Services, Finance including Revenues & Benefits and Internal Audit to review and make minor changes to the policy and the Council Tax Protocol in line with changes to legislation, guidance and best practice.

Reasons for the decisions:

It was timely to review the Council’s approach to debt collection and adopt a new policy at this time because of the reasons outlined in paragraph 2.1 of the report.