Issue - meetings

To receive a presentation from the Customer, Community and Casework Manager setting out details of the Debt Recovery process and consider the report of the Programmes, Performance and Governance Manager, (copy enclosed).

The Committee considered the report of the Programmes, Performance and Governance Manager providing an update to the debt recovery workplan agreed by the Committee on 21 January 2021. 

The Customer, Community and Casework Manager gave a presentation to the Committee setting out details of the Debt Recovery process.  Following the presentation the Chairman thanked the Group Manager - Customers and her team for their hard work and that the Committee recognised the pressures they had been under.

A lengthy debate ensued and during the discussion the Group Manager - Customers clarified a number of points, including:

·                 Reductions relating to attachment of earnings / benefits could only be made once a liability order was received.

·                 The work done to identify vulnerable persons both by the Council and the Enforcement Agency.

·                 When the Council would engage with an Enforcement Agency

·                 Legislation set the fees to be charged to residents.

·                 The Council used a number of different methods it used to contact residents who were not engaging with the Council.

·                 The Council’s Corporate Debt Strategy was due to be reviewed and brought before the Council in 2022.  Any recommendations from this Committee could be fed into the review.

Councillor V J Bell proposed that the Council subject to the following matters the Scrutiny workplan item in relation to Debt Recovery be closed and removed from the workplan:

·                 the Council’s website is updated to make it easier to find information regarding debt (with perhaps a button from the home screen);

·                 the feasibility of an additional step as part of the review of the Corporate Debt Strategy be considered to ensure that the Council was doing everything it could for vulnerable persons.

It was requested that in terms of the website, plain English was used, avoiding any jargon and ensuring it was easy for everyone to use.

The proposal was duly seconded and agreed by assent.

RESOLVED that subject to the following items, the Scrutiny workplan item – Debt Recovery be closed and removed from the workplan:

·                 the Council’s website is updated to make it easier to find information regarding debt (with perhaps a button from the home screen);

·                 the feasibility of an additional step as part of the review of the Corporate Debt Strategy be considered to ensure that the Council was doing everything it could for vulnerable persons.