Council Tax Banding

Fife Council did not have the information requested.

Dear Fife Council,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2002 – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Can you please provide me with the following information with a commencement date of the 1st January 2007 and finish date of the 1st April 2017.

1. The number of council tax re-banding appeals made to your assessor services split between the various council tax bandings over the above period on a year to year basis and the subsequent outcome of these appeals i.e. refused, upheld or withdrawn

2. Please also provide information by year on the number of appeals subsequently made to the Valuation Appeal Committee and the outcome of these appeals using the same criteria above i.e. refused, upheld or withdrawn

3. Please provide me with information as to the structure of the Valuation Appeals Committee i.e. (a) who appoints the members of the committee (b) how long does their appointment last (c) how is their independence ratified (d) how long does their appointment last and do they receive any remuneration for their attendance. (e) Are these posts advertised and if so where

4. Please provide me a detailed explanation of the factors taken into account and the process employed in setting the council tax banding for a new home and who is responsible for the final decision in Fife Council (Job Title only please) about which band a property falls into.

5. Is the information (containing all the factors necessary to reach a decision) taken into account in setting the banding for a new home, available to the owner on request and to whom should that request be made? If such a request is refused what is the appeal process to obtain such information.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Yours faithfully,

B Mutch

Fife Council

Dear B Mutch,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2002 – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Thank you for your information request received on 15/04/2017, our ref: 17007. This is being dealt with in terms of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

We are presently assessing your request and may be in touch soon to ask for further clarification or to offer advice and assistance if we are not able to fulfil your request in its present form.

The legislation allows us up to 20 working days from the date that we receive a valid request, including any clarification we require, to make a final response. We will be in touch within 20 working days of receipt of your initial request to provide our response or to seek clarification where necessary. We hope to provide you with the information you are looking for at an earlier date where possible.

Yours sincerely,

D Boyack
Information Requests

Fife Council

Dear B Mutch,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (SCOTLAND) ACT 2002 – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

I refer to your information request received 15/04/2017, our ref: 17007.

Fife Council does not hold the information you want in terms of section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002

Fife Council does not hold the information you want in terms of section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Information relating to Council tax bands is the responsibility of The Office of the Assessors, which falls within a separate legal entity and they are required to manage their information requests independently. There contact details are:-

Walter Smith
Assessors Service
Kingdom House
Kingdom Avenue
Glenrothes
KY7 5LT

Email - [email address]

If you are not satisfied with the way we have handled your request, you have the right to request a review of the decision. Please write to: Please write to: Head of Legal Services, Finance & Corporate Services, Fife House, North Street, Glenrothes, KY7 5LT or e-mail to [email address]. The law provides for you to make this request up to 60 workings days from when we received your enquiry or 40 working days from when you receive this correspondence whichever is the later date. Where the outcome of the review fails to resolve the matter to your complete satisfaction you have the right to apply to the Scottish Information Commissioner for a decision.www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal

Fife Council will consider and seek to resolve any request to the Head of Legal Services that falls outside these timescales.

Yours sincerely

D Boyack
Information Requests