Decision details

23.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Chief Operating Officer.

DECISIONS

23.2     RESOLVED (1) to authorise the writing off of 21 debts amounting to £226,402.90 in the Council’s 2016/17 accounts;

(2) to note that provision is made for bad and doubtful debts; and

(3) to note the positive steps being put in place to make improvements going forward.

Reasons

23.3     There is no prospect of recovering the 21 outstanding debts.  Some income becomes uncollectable and to allow for this the accounts of the council have always included a “provision for bad and doubtful debts” which recognises that a proportion of outstanding debts at year end may not be collected.  This provision is monitored each month.

23.4     Work continues to review and streamline the debt recovery process, to learn the lessons and to ensure we have robust systems and processes in place within Accounts Receivable to recover debt promptly.