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Corporate Debt Recovery Policy

Published: 17/06/2019

Members of Flintshire’s Cabinet reapproved the Corporate Debt Recovery Policy, as amended, for the collection of Sundry Debt, Council Tax, Business Rates, Housing Rents and overpayments of Housing Benefit.

There is a need to refresh and reapprove the Policy introduced in 2012 to take account of changes in regulations since that time.  The main changes are:

  • Bailiff reform and the introduction of new regulations;
  • The removal of committal as a sanction for the non-payment of Council Tax;
  • Revised internal working practices for the collection of sundry debt involving the development of a more robust escalation process for disputed invoices;
  • Changes to the minimum monetary threshold when taking bankruptcy action;
  • Revised ways of recovering unpaid housing rent.

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Management and Assets, Councillor Billy Mullin, said:

“The Council must have an agreed and transparent policy for managing and collecting debts owed.  This policy ensures that we are consistent in our approach and ensures that best practice is followed.

“This revised policy provides services with a clear set of latest standards that must be maintained and which follow the latest regulations when officers recover income that is due to the Council.”

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Dave Hughes, said:

“It’s important, especially in the current economic climate, that the Council collects all income that is due and ensures that debts owed to the Council are kept to a minimum.

“Every pound of income that is not collected or takes extra effort to collect, ultimately leads to additional financial pressures on the Council’s budget.”