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FOI team

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Dear Helen Hoddinott

Request for information: Council use of enforcement agencies for
debt-collecting

Thank you for your information request which we have logged as reference
argyllbuteir:17072.

It has been passed to the relevant service(s) for attention and you should
receive a response under either the Freedom of Information (Scot) Act 2002
or the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 by 2024-03-06
00:00:00. We hope to respond within this timescale but some requests may
take little longer.

Please quote the reference number above in any correspondence you may have
with the Council in regard to this request.

Regards

FOI Officer

Privacy information: Any personal information you have provided in
relation to this request will be used only for the intended purpose -
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Classification: OFFICIAL

Dear Helen Hoddinott,

Request for information: Council use of enforcement agencies for
debt-collecting

Reference: argyllbuteir:17072.

I refer to your request for information which was dealt with in terms of
the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA).

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?

Council Tax 21/22 £5,305,130
                     22/23 £5,299,589
                     23/24 £6,040,288

Rates            2021/22 - £1,241,670.49
                     2022/23 - £2,625,964.70
                     2023/24 - £2,740,815.98

NB - Argyll and Bute Council have no Housing Stock therefore no arrears.

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? Financial Year CTax Collections
2021/22                             £2,791,991.15
2022/23                             £2,577,794.68
2023/24                             (cutoff - 02/02/24)     £2,422,263.33

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
21/22 = 0        22/23 = 1          23/24 = 1

If you are dissatisfied with the way in which your request for information
has been dealt with you are entitled to request a review by writing to the
Executive Director Customer Services, Argyll and Bute Council, Kilmory,
Lochgilphead, Argyll PA31 8RT, or by email to [Argyll and Bute Council request email].

Your request for review must state your name and address for
correspondence, specify the request for information to which your request
for review relates and why you are dissatisfied with the response.

You must make your request for review not later than 40 working days after
the expiry of the 20 working day period for response to your initial
request by the Council, or not later than 40 working days after the
receipt by you of the information provided, any fees notice issued or any
notification of refusal or partial refusal.

If you make an application for review and remain dissatisfied with the way
in which the review has been dealt with you are entitled to make an
application to the Scottish Information Commissioner, Kinburn Castle,
Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9DS (Tel: 01334 464610) for a
further review. You can now do this online here -
www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal.

You must make representation to the Scottish Information Commissioner no
later than 6 months after the date of receipt by you of the notice or
decision you are dissatisfied with or within 6 months of the expiry of the
period of 20 working days from receipt by the Council of your request for
review.

Yours sincerely,

David Sinclair

Compliance and Regulatory Assistant

Legal and Regulatory Services

01546 604352

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