bailiffs
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Reporting local life since 1854 37p Thursday, November 17, 2011 SEN-eO1-S2 [P/R] [P/R] Hundreds of homes to choose from: Inside PROPERTY Gunshot victim is remembered A MEMORIAL service was due to be held today for a holidaymaker who was shot dead. Gunmen targeted Paul Atkins, of Werrington, outside a bar in the city of Angeles, about 50 miles north of Manila in the Philippines. Dad-of-two Mr Atkins, aged 62, was shot at point blank range and had his wallet, money and mobile phone stolen. Friends and relatives were due to gather today at Carmountside Chapel to remember Mr Atkins. NHS payout on patient’s death AN NHS trust has agreed a compensation settlement for the family of a man who killed himself. The widow and children of Martyn Upham were awarded a six-figure sum after it was accepted there were shortcomings in his treatment. Mr Upham killed himself days after being released from hospital after an earlier attempt to self-harm. See Page 4 Bailiff threat to collect unpaid council tax BY ALEX CAMPBELL [email protected] BAILIFFS are set to be brought in to recover millions of pounds in unpaid council tax. Stoke-on-Trent City Council is expected to agree a deal with a debt collection agency to try to collect debts dating back as far as 1993. Almost £10 million of the council’s total £19 million arrears bill is accounted for and being repaid in instalments. But up to £2 million owed by residents who failed to pay council tax between 1993 and 2005, and up to £7 million of arrears built up in the sub- sequent five years, is set to be offered as a package to debt collection agencies on the open market. They will bid for a ‘no win, no fee’ deal to target people with debts which are considered recoverable. The plans, which must be approved by cabinet, follow a review of the authority’s council tax debt. It found debt from previous years was routinely neglected as the coun- cil focused on hitting the Govern- ment’s target for in-year collection. Latest figures show in-year collec- tion rates fell from 96.3 per cent in 2008/09 to 93.4 per cent in 2009/10. The Government target for 2009/ 10 was 97 per cent. Chief executive John van de Laarschot, pictured left, today defended the use of bailiffs in recovering money the council is owed. He said: “A nice person in a suit speaking nicely will not get people to pay. “I’m not suggesting they go in bran- dishing a gun, but there needs to be an implied level of threat that there are consequences if you do not pay. “Firms need to be firm but fair. “There is a distinction between those who are in need and those who are taking a ride and the approach needs to be very different to both.” Mr van de Laarschot has also called for talks with magistrates over the sentences imposed on council tax evaders. He added: “The sentences are nowhere near as effective as they once were. We need to talk about how the system can deal with these cases effectively. “It isn’t helpful to be told you are going to be paid back £1 per week, then for the person to say they can’t afford it and be told they can pay back £1 every two weeks.” Any debts which cannot be recovered by bailiffs are likely to be written off. A write-off policy will be drawn up before April. Councillor Dave Conway, leader of the opposition City Independents, has previously called for better coun- cil tax collection. He said: “I don’t think the people responsible for collecting our council tax have done a very good job.” Should the council be calling in the bailiffs? Email us at letters@ thesentinel.co.uk Comment: Page 10 PAY UP OR ELSE Fans demand to be heard £36m budget cuts on target FINANCE officers predict they will be able to balance the council’s books this year - or even achieve an underspend. Stoke-on-Trent City Council said despite the budget challenges it has faced, it is in a better financial position than it expected to be, more than halfway through the financial year. But plans are now being drawn up for further cutbacks and savings for 2012/13. See Page 17 BACK PAGE Same Day Service, 7 days 1,2,3,4,5,6 & 8 Tonne Skips Road Permits - No Problem! * ALL AREAS COVERED * Established since 1983 01782 786242 - Anytime SKIPS LTD. A1 A1
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A1 A1 £36m budget cuts on target Gunshot victim is remembered PROPERTY NHS payout on patient’s death SameDayService, 7days SKIPSLTD. 01782786242- Anytime 37pThursday,November17,2011 BACK PAGE Reporting local life since 1854 Hundreds of homes to choose from: Inside BY ALEX CAMPBELL 1,2,3,4,5,6&8TonneSkipsRoad Permits-NoProblem! *ALLAREASCOVERED* Establishedsince1983 Comment: Page 10 Should the council be calling in the bailiffs? Email us at letters@ thesentinel.co.uk [P/R]
Transcript of bailiffs
Reporting local life since 1854 37pThursday, November 17, 2011
SEN
-eO1
-S2
[P/R
]
[P/R]
Hundreds of homes tochoose from: Inside
P RO P E RT Y
Gunshot victimis rememberedA MEMORIAL service wasdue to be held today for aholidaymaker who was shotdead.
Gunmen targeted PaulAtkins, of Werrington, outsidea bar in the city of Angeles,about 50 miles north ofManila in the Philippines.
Dad-of-two Mr Atkins, aged62, was shot at point blankrange and had his wallet,money and mobile phonestolen. Friends and relativeswere due to gather today atCarmountside Chapel toremember Mr Atkins.
NHS payout onpatient’s deathAN NHS trust has agreed acompensation settlement forthe family of a man who killedh i m s e l f.
The widow and children ofMartyn Upham were awardeda six-figure sum after it wasaccepted there wereshortcomings in hist re at m e n t .
Mr Upham killed himselfdays after being released fromhospital after an earlierattempt to self-harm.See Page 4
Bailiff threat to collect unpaid council taxBY ALEX [email protected]
BAILIFFS are set to bebrought in to recovermillions of pounds inunpaid council tax.
Stoke-on-Trent CityCouncil is expected toagree a deal with a debt collectionagency to try to collect debts datingback as far as 1993.
Almost £10 million of the council’stotal £19 million arrears bill isaccounted for and being repaid ini n s t a l m e n t s.
But up to £2 million owed byresidents who failed to paycouncil tax between 1993 and2005, and up to £7 million ofarrears built up in the sub-sequent five years, is set to beoffered as a package to debtcollection agencies on theopen market.
They will bid for a ‘no win, no fee’deal to target people with debtswhich are considered recoverable.
The plans, which must be approvedby cabinet, follow a review of theauthority’s council tax debt.
It found debt from previous yearswas routinely neglected as the coun-cil focused on hitting the Govern-ment’s target for in-year collection.
Latest figures show in-year collec-tion rates fell from 96.3 per cent in
2008/09 to 93.4 per cent in 2009/10.The Government target for 2009/10 was 97 per cent.
Chief executive John van deLaarschot, pictured left, todaydefended the use of bailiffs inrecovering money the council is
owe d .He said: “A nice person in a suit
speaking nicely will not get people top ay.
“I’m not suggesting they go in bran-dishing a gun, but there needs to bean implied level of threat that thereare consequences if you do not pay.
“Firms need to be firm but fair.“There is a distinction between
those who are in need and those whoare taking a ride and the approachneeds to be very different to both.”
Mr van de Laarschot has also calledfor talks with magistrates over thesentences imposed on council taxeva d e r s.
He added: “The sentences arenowhere near as effective as theyonce were. We need to talk about howthe system can deal with these casesef fectively.
“It isn’t helpful to be told you are
going to be paid back £1 per week,then for the person to say they can’tafford it and be told they can pay back£1 every two weeks.”
Any debts which cannot berecovered by bailiffs are likely to bewritten off. A write-off policy will bedrawn up before April.
Councillor Dave Conway, leader ofthe opposition City Independents,has previously called for better coun-cil tax collection.
He said: “I don’t think the peopleresponsible for collecting our counciltax have done a very good job.”
Should the council be calling in thebailiffs? Email us at [email protected]
Comment: Page 10
PAY UP OR ELSE
Fans demandto beheard
£36m budgetcuts on targetFINANCE officers predictthey will be able to balancethe council’s books this year -or even achieve anunderspend.
Stoke-on-Trent City Councilsaid despite the budgetchallenges it has faced, it is ina better financial positionthan it expected to be, morethan halfway through thefinancial year.
But plans are now beingdrawn up for further cutbacksand savings for 2012/13.See Page 17
BACKPA G E
Same Day Service,7 days
1,2,3,4,5,6 & 8 Tonne Skips RoadPermits - No Problem!
* ALL AREAS COVERED *Established since 1983
01782 786242 -Anytime
SKIPS LTD.A1A1
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