Questions received under Council Procedure Rule number 11.1
(a) Question from Councillor Cartwright to the Leader (Executive member for Finance)
“With an increasing number of High Street banks offering cashback on direct debit payments to customers who pay their utility bills such as gas, electric and council tax by direct debit, would the Executive member for Finance please answer the following questions:
(i) Taking, for example, my property in Groby, a band D property, as a reference – what is the actual cost in financial terms, with and without officer time, to collect my council tax by the various methods available to me, broken down in a clear financial statement?
(ii) What is the cost in collecting each of the ten direct debits and the total cost of collecting the yearly payments?
(iii) Does the council pay a commission to those banks that do not offer this incentive to their customers or pay a reduced amount compared to the banks that do not offer this incentive?”
Response from Councillor Hall
“Thank you for your question, Cllr Cartwright. With regard to parts (i) and (ii), we do not hold the information to calculate this cost. However our average cost of collection per property is £9.10. From this, direct salary costs are £6.70.
74% of council tax payers use the direct debit payment option.
Three files per month are sent for council tax. The annual charge for this is £126.
In response to part (iii), no commission is paid to any bank or financial institution.”
(b) Question from Councillor Witherford to the Executive member for Environmental Health
“The current Environmental Report states that requests for rat treatments are down by 65% since the introduction of the charges set out in the latest budget statement. This charge was challenged by our group at the time and concerns were shown that the public would resist reporting possible infestations due to this imposition. I cannot believe that there has been a reduction in the rat population in Hinckley and Bosworth to this extent as the redevelopment programme is still ongoing, additional housing estates are coming forward and the consequent disturbance of habitat is evident. It is common knowledge that this area, with its underground streams, brooks and ponds, has always had a large rate population which was adequately controlled by treatments provided free of charge by this Council in the past.
In the interests of the health, safety and wellbeing of all our residents, can the Executive member confirm that the administration will agree to revert to a no-charge situation for reporting evidence of rat infestations?”
Response from Councillor Morrell
“I thank Cllr Witherford for her question. I can confirm that, as predicted, the number of requests for treatments carried out by the council has decreased since April this year following the introduction of a £20 charge. Requests for this service vary considerably from year to year depending on the weather and other factors affecting the sightings of rats. The last two years have seen significant increases in treatments but compared to three years ago the current reduction in treatments is only down by 28%. The majority of treatments occur during the late summer and early autumn so it is probably too early to draw firm observations as to the impact of charging. When the service is free, residents are happy to request a treatment even if only a single transient rat has been seen and often no further “take” of poison occurs. Officers have not observed a significant increase in complaints relating to rats which would be expected if populations had significantly increased. The service continues to work with Severn Trent Water in baiting local sewers on a proactive basis. We will continue to monitor the situation but at the current time we are not minded to reintroduce a free service, something which is very rare for local authorities during these current financial restrictions. £20 is still a highly subsidised cost compared to those charged by private pest control contractors and represents very good value for the comprehensive treatment received.”
(c) Question from Councillor Hodgkins to the Leader (Executive member for Finance)
“Following the withdrawal of a court case involving one of our tenants recently, when it was determined that the tenant in question should get a full refund of the charges made to her in regard to the so called “bedroom tax”, can the Executive member please advise how many other council tenants are in a similar situation. In the interest of consistency, can the Executive member please confirm that they too will receive similar refunds and what will be the total cost to the council for such reimbursements?”
Response from Councillor Hall
“Thank you, Cllr Hodgkins, for your question.
It is very difficult to give a definitive answer in respect of numbers, cost and consistency, because the circumstances will differ in each case. Indeed, the case you quote had its own complexities and changes in circumstances – hence the delay in being able to give a definitive response.”
Minutes:
The following questions were received and responses provided:
(a) Question from Councillor Cartwright to the Leader (Executive member for Finance)
“With an increasing number of High Street banks offering cashback on direct debit payments to customers who pay their utility bills such as gas, electric and council tax by direct debit, would the Executive member for Finance please answer the following questions:
(i) Taking, for example, my property in Groby, a band D property, as a reference – what is the actual cost in financial terms, with and without officer time, to collect my council tax by the various methods available to me, broken down in a clear financial statement?
(ii) What is the cost in collecting each of the ten direct debits and the total cost of collecting the yearly payments?
(iii) Does the council pay a commission to those banks that do not offer this incentive to their customers or pay a reduced amount compared to the banks that do not offer this incentive?”
Response from Councillor Hall
“Thank you for your question, Cllr Cartwright. With regard to parts (i) and (ii), we do not hold the information to calculate this cost. However our average cost of collection per property is £9.10. From this, direct salary costs are £6.70.
74% of council tax payers use the direct debit payment option.
Three files per month are sent for council tax. The annual charge for this is £126.
In response to part (iii), no commission is paid to any bank or financial institution.”
(b) Question from Councillor Witherford to the Executive member for Environmental Health
“The current Environmental Report states that requests for rat treatments are down by 65% since the introduction of the charges set out in the latest budget statement. This charge was challenged by our group at the time and concerns were shown that the public would resist reporting possible infestations due to this imposition. I cannot believe that there has been a reduction in the rat population in Hinckley and Bosworth to this extent as the redevelopment programme is still ongoing, additional housing estates are coming forward and the consequent disturbance of habitat is evident. It is common knowledge that this area, with its underground streams, brooks and ponds, has always had a large rate population which was adequately controlled by treatments provided free of charge by this Council in the past.
In the interests of the health, safety and wellbeing of all our residents, can the Executive member confirm that the administration will agree to revert to a no-charge situation for reporting evidence of rat infestations?”
Response from Councillor Morrell
“I thank Cllr Witherford for her question. I can confirm that, as predicted, the number of requests for treatments carried out by the council has decreased since April this year following the introduction of a £20 charge. Requests for this service vary considerably from year to year depending on the weather and other factors affecting the sightings of rats. The last two years have seen significant increases in treatments but compared to three years ago the current reduction in treatments is only down by 28%. The majority of treatments occur during the late summer and early autumn so it is probably too early to draw firm observations as to the impact of charging. When the service is free, residents are happy to request a treatment even if only a single transient rat has been seen and often no further “take” of poison occurs. Officers have not observed a significant increase in complaints relating to rats which would be expected if populations had significantly increased. The service continues to work with Severn Trent Water in baiting local sewers on a proactive basis. We will continue to monitor the situation but at the current time we are not minded to reintroduce a free service, something which is very rare for local authorities during these current financial restrictions. £20 is still a highly subsidised cost compared to those charged by private pest control contractors and represents very good value for the comprehensive treatment received.”
By way of supplementary question, Councillor Witherford asked whether the Executive member was aware of the three or four recent reports of rat infestations on Trinity Vicarage Road. He agreed to look into it and respond to Cllr Witherford outside of the meeting.
(c) Question from Councillor Hodgkins to the Leader (Executive member for Finance)
“Following the withdrawal of a court case involving one of our tenants recently, when it was determined that the tenant in question should get a full refund of the charges made to her in regard to the so called “bedroom tax”, can the Executive member please advise how many other council tenants are in a similar situation. In the interest of consistency, can the Executive member please confirm that they too will receive similar refunds and what will be the total cost to the council for such reimbursements?”
Response from Councillor Hall
“Thank you, Cllr Hodgkins, for your question.
It is very difficult to give a definitive answer in respect of numbers, cost and consistency, because the circumstances will differ in each case. Indeed, the case you quote had its own complexities and changes in circumstances – hence the delay in being able to give a definitive response.”