Debt Statistics and Arrangements

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Dear Milton Keynes Council,

1. How much provision was made for bad debt for 2019/20?
2. What was that figure based on?
3. How much debt was outstanding at the 31st March 2019?
4. What proportion of the debts were related to each of the following types:
a. Council Tax arrears?
b. NNDR arrears?
c. Housing Benefit overpayments?
d. Adult Social Care?
e. Housing Tenancy rents (where applicable)
f. Commercial property?
g. Staff overpayments?
h. Sundry debts?
i. Other? (Please specify)
5. How much of each type of debt was more than 90 days old?
6. How much of each type of debt was more than 1 year old?
7. How much of each type of debt was more than 2 years old?
8. How much of outstanding debt was written off at 31st March 2019 as un-recoverable?
9. Does the Council have a corporate debt recovery policy?
10. Does the council maintain a central database of debts?
11. Does the council operate a data matching service for debtors names and addresses?
12. Has the council centralised arrangements for raising of debts?
13. Has the council centralised arrangements for pursuing debts?
14. Has the council appointed a debt collection agency for debts?
15. Does the council factor debts?
16. What action is taken to prevent debts arising?

Yours faithfully,

phil spring

Freedom of Information Act, Milton Keynes Council

Dear Phil

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - INFORMATION REQUEST - INTERNAL REFERENCE 305858

I acknowledge your request for information.

Your request is being considered and you will receive the information requested within the statutory timescale of 20 working days, as defined by the Freedom of Information Act 2000, subject to the information not being exempt or containing reference to a third party.

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Best Regards
Freedom of Information Team
[email address]

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Freedom of Information Act, Milton Keynes Council

Dear Phil

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - INFORMATION REQUEST - INTERNAL REFERENCE 305858

Your request for information has now been considered and the information requested is below.

1. How much provision was made for bad debt for 2019/20? As the financial year 2019/20 has not yet ended 2019/20the bad debt provision has not been calculated yet. We assume you mean 2018/19, in which case the provision is £17,088,237.56.
2. What was that figure based on? Again 2019/20 has not yet ended and so we will assume you mean 2018/19. This was based on the "Closing of Accounts 2018/19" working paper for bad debts provision (each budget area required to provide the position on their bad debts for calculation of bad debts provision to be based on).
3. How much debt was outstanding at the 31st March 2019? £32.99m
4. What proportion of the debts were related to each of the following types:
a. Council Tax arrears? £6.683m
b. NNDR arrears? £ 3.975m
c. Housing Benefit overpayments? £9.409m
d. Adult Social Care? See h
e. Housing Tenancy rents (where applicable) £5.152m
f. Commercial property? See h
g. Staff overpayments? See h
h. Sundry debts? - includes d,f,g, £7.771m
i. Other? (Please specify)
5. How much of each type of debt was more than 90 days old? Housing £3.074m; Sundry £6.262m; Other debt types not recorded at this level
6. How much of each type of debt was more than 1 year old? CTAX £3.355m; NNDR £1.509m; HBOP £ 4.405m; HOUSING breakdown not available; Sundry £2.828m
7. How much of each type of debt was more than 2 years old? Sundry £ 1.622; Other debt types not recorded at this level
8. How much of outstanding debt was written off at 31st March 2019 as un-recoverable? CTAX £0.791m; NNDR £0.910 m; HBOP £ 0.524m; HOUSING £0.349; Sundry £0.00m
9. Does the Council have a corporate debt recovery policy? Yes
10. Does the council maintain a central database of debts? No
11. Does the council operate a data matching service for debtors names and addresses? No
12. Has the council centralised arrangements for raising of debts? No
13. Has the council centralised arrangements for pursuing debts? Yes
14. Has the council appointed a debt collection agency for debts? Yes
15. Does the council factor debts? No
16. What action is taken to prevent debts arising? Debts are recovered in line with the council's income and collection policy and supporting guidance notes

If you have a complaint about the handling of your request then please contact me within the next 40 working days and I’ll arrange for an internal review which will be considered as part of Stage 2 of the Council’s complaints procedure.

You also have a right of appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
www.ico.org.uk

Best Regards
Freedom of Information Team
[email address]

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