Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Performance and Core Services introduced the performance report covering the first quarter of the 2021/22 financial year in respect of the Council’s debt management functions.

The Cabinet Member referred to the impact of COVID-19 on collection rates and debt recovery practices since the pandemic began and the financial difficulties that it had caused many residents of the Borough.  He also referred to the Government’s decision to cease the £20 per week additional payment to Universal Credit (UC) recipients from early October 2021, which he felt was a clear example of the Government’s failure to understand the difficulties that many in the community continued to face.  The Cabinet Member commented that the top-up to UC had been a much-needed lifeline to many and to withdraw it at a time when general food costs were increasing due to the impacts of Brexit and there were unprecedented rises in energy costs would, in his opinion, lead to many residents having to choose “whether to eat or to heat” over the winter period. 

With regard to collection rates, the Cabinet Member advised that they were, in general, returning to target levels and enforcement action had recommenced following a hiatus during the peak COVID period.  He added, however, that while summonses for outstanding debts, such as non-payment of Council Tax, were once again being issued he was very proud of the Council’s pro-active approach to supporting residents in financial difficulty and drew attention to the work of the Council’s Community Solutions service and, in particular, the Homes and Money Hub, which offered a range of support and advice to those with complex problems.  Cabinet Members concurred with those sentiments and reference was also made to the Community Food Club, which could help residents on low incomes and/or in financial difficulties by reducing their food shopping bill by approximately £20 per week.

Cabinet resolved to note the performance of the debt management function carried out by the Council’s Revenues service, including the improvement of collection rates and the continued recovery techniques applied to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.