Council writes off 'irrecoverable' debts

Stafford Borough Council’s cabinet agreed to write off four council tax arrears totalling £13,097.21 and two business rate debts totalling £10,741.02 at its meeting on Thursday.

Members heard that between April and June 28.9 per cent of business rates due for this year had been collected – an increase on the 24.8 per cent collected during the same period last year. And the council tax collection rate was also up, from 28.4 per cent between April and June last year to 28.8 per cent this year.

Councillor Jill Hood, cabinet member for community, urged residents struggling to pay their council tax bill to get in contact with the authority as early as possible. “We are extremely approachable and willing to help”, she added.

Councillor Ralph Cooke, cabinet member for resources, said: “We try very hard to collect as much as possible and collection rates in this borough are traditionally good. Sadly, not all of the money owed to the council can be collected.

“20223/24 is expected to be a more traditional year than the ones we have had over the past two or three years. We do have an ability to recover unpaid debts but residents continue to face increased cost of living challenges which could affect their ability to pay council tax and we should be mindful of that.

“We collect council tax for Stafford Borough Council and also on behalf of parish councils, the county council and the office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. In fact Stafford Borough Council only retain about 10% of the council tax collected.

“Some people seem to think we keep all of it. If only we did – we would be in local authority nirvana, a wonderful place.”