Freedom of information response

1) In the financial years 21/22, 22/23 and 23/24 (Up to 07.02.24), could you please provide me with the total monetary value of council-related debts (such as council tax, parking fines, failures to pay business rates and housing arrears) which were referred to external enforcement agencies?

2) Of this figure, please could you provide the amount that was recovered by external debt agencies broken down for each of the financial years referenced?

3) For each of those financial years, please provide the number of complaints the council has received about the conduct of external bailiffs and debt collectors.

The report has taken 3 hours to run/filter to give us 33 cases.

It’s estimated that it would then take around 15 minutes per case to review, which would be: 15mins x 33 cases = 495mins (8.25 hours)

8.25 hours + 3 hours = 11.25 hours

To determine root cause – a further 8 hours.

In total the estimate is 19.25 hours and would therefore exceed 18 hours.

In issuing our response the council have applied S12 of the Freedom of Information Act. 

This means that the council does not have to comply with your request if the cost of doing so exceeds the ‘appropriate limit’, which for local authorities is 18 hours.  This applies to the time taken spent locating and collating the requested information.  

If you wish to narrow the scope of your request and resubmit this to the council then of course we may be able to provide this information.