Disclosure Log

Use this part of the site to view the Authorities disclosure log Database.

Question

For all questions, we would like the responses that relate to the latest figures that you have available (please state the date period in your response) and, ideally, the preceding 12 months. How many people/households are in arears with: • Council Tax • Rent • Other payments owed (please specify) How much is the overdue debt to the council from: • Individual households • Businesses What is the annual cost of pursuing arears with: • Letters • Calls • Legal action (internal costs) • Legal action (external costs) • Debt Collectors / Bailiffs • Bad debt write-off • Other (please specify) What is the annual spend on interventions resulting from evictions and repossessions: • Emergency housing • Emergency grants • Other (please specify) Has the Council measured the relationship between evictions & repossessions and increased costs (if so please provide whatever data is available) for: • The criminal justice system • The health service • Social Care • Mental Health • Other (please specify) How many evictions for debt have been initiated by the Council? Does the Council seek custodial sentences for non-payment of debts? Which department at the Council is concerned with supporting the financial wellbeing of residents? • Department name • Department email • Named contact (if available)

Answer

For all questions, we would like the responses that relate to the latest figures that you have available (please state the date period in your response) and, ideally, the preceding 12 months. Figures regarding Council Tax collection can be obtained on Stats Wales - https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Local-Government/Finance/Council-Tax/Levels. We no longer have any housing stock so I am not able to answer any questions regarding rental and evictions. How many people/households are in arears with: • Council Tax – 9,674 – this includes open and closed accounts with a balance outstanding prior to the 31st March 2021. • Rent – Not Applicable • Other payments owed (please specify) How much is the overdue debt to the council from: • Individual households – £6.4M Council Tax @ 31.03.2021 • Businesses - £2.4M Business Rates @ 31.03.2021 What is the annual cost of pursuing arears with: • Letters – No of recovery notifications issued for 2019 -2020 shown below • Calls – Corporate Charges, not specific to just recovery unable to provide • Legal action (internal costs) - nil • Legal action (external costs) - £0.70 for each Magistrates Court summons issued • Debt Collectors / Bailiffs - Nil • Bad debt write-off – £95,000 Council Tax – 31.03.2021 for 2020-2021 financial period • Other (please specify) The collection figures, write offs and other metrics are available on the stats Wales link provided above. CTAX Recovery notices issued 2019-2021. I haven’t provided figures for 2020-2021 as this would represent a true reflection of a normal financial year. Reminders - 8137 Second Reminders - 1822 Final Notices - 4022 Summonses – 1265 What is the annual spend on interventions resulting from evictions and repossessions: • Emergency housing • Emergency grants • Other (please specify) Not Revenues – We do not have any housing stock, But housing do have a Homelessness responsibility so they may be able to provide you with some details. Has the Council measured the relationship between evictions & repossessions and increased costs (if so please provide whatever data is available) for: • The criminal justice system • The health service • Social Care • Mental Health • Other (please specify) Not applicable to Revenues Department How many evictions for debt have been initiated by the Council? – Not applicable Does the Council seek custodial sentences for non-payment of debts? – no longer a method of Recovery in Wales Which department at the Council is concerned with supporting the financial wellbeing of residents? • Department name • Department email • Named contact (if available) Department – Sarah Price – Sarah.Price@merthyr.gov.uk