Councillors and Council Tax Arrears
Hello,
I'm writing to you in the hope of obtaining information relating to the number of reminder letters and summons sent to elected councillors in your authority area since 2015/16.
I'd prefer to receive the information in Excel spreadsheet - xlsx or xls - format and if you cannot provide the information in full, I would like to request that you provide as much as you are able to within the cost and time limits of the Act.
If you need clarification or can suggest ways in which the request can be refined in order for it to be successful, I'd be grateful if you could contact me as soon as possible.
Please note that there is precedent for councillors to be named in relation to this issue - the High Court ruled in March 2015 that they should not have their identities protected when it comes to non-payment of council tax.
I'd like to know the following:
1. How many unpaid council tax reminders were sent to councillors elected in your authority between 2015/16 and 2017/18? Please break down by financial year?
2. How many councillors were summonsed to court or given summary warrants in the same period? Again, please break down by financial year.
3a. How many reminders were issued to the councillors named? Please break down by year.
3b. For each instance, please provide the name of each councillor, the party they represent or represented at the time and the amount of council tax owed according to sums requested in the letter. Please also provide the amount of council tax that remains outstanding.
3c. Please also state for each councillor, whether they were barred from voting on the council's budget as a result of their council tax arrears and whether any summons received resulted in a court hearing going ahead.
I'd be grateful if you could provide the information for questions 1 and 2 as totals for your authority and present the rest of the information within a spreadsheet with the following columns:
Financial Year - Authority Name - Councillor Name - Party - No of Reminders - No of Summons - Amount Owed According to Reminders - Court Hearing Y/N - Outcome of Hearing - Banned from Voting Y/N - Current Sum Outstanding
Yours faithfully,
Joanna Morris
Dear Joanna,
Thank you for your request for information regarding ‘Summons sent to elected councillors’ (reference number 04519). Your request was received on the 12/4/2019 and I am dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and/or Environmental Information Regulations 2004.
In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, I will let you know. A fees notice will be issued to you, and you will be required to pay before we will proceed to deal with your request.
If you have any queries about this request, please contact Information Governance on 01254 585852. Alternatively, our email address is [Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council request email]
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
Kind Regards,
Heather Wolstenholme
Information Governance Officer
Email: [email address]
Tel: 01254 585651
Dear Joanna,
Thank you for your request for information regarding ‘Summons sent to elected councillors’ (reference number 04519).
Unfortunately it is taking a little longer than anticipated to collate a response.
I am therefore writing to request a short extension period of one week.
Please accept my sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Kind regards,
Heather Wolstenholme
Information Governance Officer
Email: [email address]
Tel: 01254 585651
Dear Joanna,
Thank you for your request for information regarding ‘Summons sent to
elected councillors’ (reference number 04519); Please see our response
attached. If you have any queries regarding your request for information
then please don’t hesitate to contact us.
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your
request and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision,
you should write to: Information Governance Manager, Information
Governance, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, G Floor, Town Hall,
Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 7DY or email [1][Blackburn with Darwen Borough
Council request email]
If you are not content with the outcome of your complaint, you may apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the
ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints
procedure provided by the Council. The Information Commissioner can be
contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water
Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Please find attached our 'have your say' feedback policy.
Kind Regards,
Information Governance
Blackburn with Darwen Council
Email: [2][Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council request email]
Tel: 01254 585852
cid:image001.png@01D42298.CC8998D0
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
This email and any attachments are intended solely for the addressee may
contain
sensitive data and/or confidential or legally privileged information. If
you are
not the intended recipient, any reading/dissemination/copying or any other
use
or reliance is prohibited. If you have received this email in error notify
the
sender immediately and permanently delete the email. The Council reserves
copyright of this email and any it attachments it has created.
All emails to or from the Council may be monitored in accordance with
relevant
legislation.
The integrity of email transmission cannot be guaranteed. Although the
Council
has checked this email for viruses you should complete your own virus scan
before opening any attachments. Contact the Council to confirm the content
of
this email if you are concerned it may not be genuine.
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council cannot accept any liability for any
loss
or damage arising or resulting from the receipt, use or transmission of
this
email
References
Visible links
1. mailto:[blackburn%20with%20darwen%20borough%20council%20request%20email]
2. mailto:[blackburn%20with%20darwen%20borough%20council%20request%20email]
We work to defend the right to FOI for everyone
Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. Donate and support our work.
Donate Now