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18 alex colyer collections
- 1. South Cambridgeshire District Council The Civil Enforcement Regime; Our Debt recovery Strategy Alex Colyer Executive Director 6 October 2015
- 3. South Cambridgeshire District Council • 105 Villages • 150,000+ population • 66,000 homes • Healthy, wealthy, well educated residents • Consistently top of the best places to live • Major growth forecast – 19,000 more homes – 22,000 more jobs
- 5. South Cambridgeshire District Council Strategic Partnerships • City Deal – Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, GCGP LEP, University – £1bn investment over 15 years • Shared Services
- 6. Context
- 7. Aims: • Reduce Dependency on benefits • Encourage claimants to make better decisions - Get back into work - Reduce outgoings - Downsize housing requirements • Reduce the benefit bill Impact: • Less well off have less to pay their bills Welfare Reform
- 8. Universal Credit Benefit Cap £20,000 from £25,000 Restrictions in Tax Credits Ending of Mortgage interest support Council Tax Support Welfare Reform
- 9. Have a Plan: • Early Identification of customers affected – Direct communication – Double check our records – Early support • Engage with Debt Advice charities • Train Staff • Support Councillors SCDC response
- 10. Government Grant to Councils forecast to go altogether by 2020: 2010 £7.8m 2015 £2.3m 2020 ? South Cambs budget £16m p.a. (non housing) Imperative collection rates maintained Direct Funding Cuts
- 11. • Council Tax 66,000 Households • Average Bill £1,600 p.a. gross (£1,250 net) • Total Collectable £83m (net of reliefs / discounts) • Business Rates 3,500 accounts • Average bill £21,000 • Total Collectable £71m • Rents 5,500 Households • Average Bill £5,000 p.a. (£100 per week) • Total Collectable £27m • Other Debtors c 11,000 p.a. How Many Debtors?
- 12. Private Rental
- 13. • Housing Benefit and Sundry Debtors 3 Staff • Business rates/Council Tax Recovery 3 Staff • Rents admin and collection 5 staff Staffing Levels
- 14. Collection Rates Council Business Rents Tax Rates 2010/11 99.3% 99.6% 98.7% 2011/12 99.3% 99.5% 99.0% 2012/13 99.3% 99.5% 98.9% 2013/14 99.3% 99.0% 98.4% 2014/15 99.2% 99.3% 98.8%
- 15. Managing Customer Contact: • Brought Contact Centre on site, in-house – Recruited for behaviours – Comprehensive training programme – Empowered agents • First time resolution 60% to 85% – Flexible (but cheap) call-handling systems • Recruited and trained temporary Staff SCDC approach
- 16. Get it right, first time, on time • Dedicated, well trained and motivated team • Typically 10 days to process data – Billing – New properties – Change of Circumstances – Benefit Awards • Easy payment methods • Liability not challenged in Court Collection SCDC approach
- 17. Robust, consistent approach to late payment: • Prompt single reminder – Can be seen as threatening – No exceptions – Used to prompt contact, even if hostile • Good contact channels available • Identify won’t pays from can’t pays • Take the legal remedies • Debtors know what to expect Collection SCDC approach
- 18. Support Can’t Pays closely: • Active management: – Prompt identification, swift action – Realistic payment plans – Debt Advice – Help debtors understand need to prioritise – Single view of the debtor • Targeted use of Discretionary Housing support • Consequences set out clearly, consistently Collection SCDC approach
- 19. South Cambridgeshire District Council Civil Enforcement • Legislation dictates process / tools available to us • Pros and cons of each remedy for CTAX • Limitations of other options; bailiffs have to be used
- 20. South Cambridgeshire District Council Civil Enforcement • Moral pressure from charities ( “stop the knock” “ the wolf at the door” ) • Both anti-bailiff campaigns do not reflect the overhaul of the enforcement industry through Taking Control of Goods regulations
- 21. South Cambridgeshire District Council Use of Bailiffs Council Tax NDR •2014 1,028 70 •2013 1,427 117 •2012 1,176 109 •2011 1,400 142 •2010 1,797 170
- 22. South Cambridgeshire District Council Civil Enforcement • Swift, firm action preventing large debts from accruing • Process driven timetable of events that we stick to. • Residents understand consequences of non-payment and helped to make the best choices • Corporate debt approach / look at all debts owed to council when negotiating repayment
- 23. Proud to be top of the league: • Accept that we should be there though – Demographics – GVA • To get there and stay there we have to: – Get it right – Be timely – Be consistent – Be supportive Conclusion