Uncollected Council Tax Scandal

Posted By: Susan Emmott
Date Posted: 09/09/2007

I am as shocked as anyone to learn via Rochdale Online that Rochdale Council has failed to collect a massive £3.35 million in Council Tax this last financial year, a rise of about 50%!

This is utterly scandalous and smacks of gross incompetence by the controlling Lib-Dems. Councillor William Hobhouse is constantly telling us that the finances of the Council are safe in his hands. Well, William, this has happened on your watch and you have nobody else to blame.

This week, we have received the long awaited review of the fortnightly bin collections. We are told that anything other than the rolling out of the fortnightly collections will result in extra costs for the Council. To collect “the smellies” on a weekly basis and recyclables every fortnight, as suggested by Jean Ashworth, will, we are told, cost an additional £1.2 million rising to £1.5 million over 5 years. Well, lets think where the Council could possibly find that extra money?

1. For starters, the Council could stop paying out £1.1 million to external “consultants” to tell it how to run things. Surely, the Council employs professional officers to give such advice. Why are Council Tax payers forking out twice for professional advice?

2. The Council could axe the “people’s champions” and “complaints team” – a saving of approximately £150,000. If people have complaints, they can go to their elected councillors (that’s what we’re there for!) or can raise their concerns directly with departments as they have done in the past. We don’t need empty gimmicks like “people’s champions”.  

3. And of course, the Council could collect the missing £3.35 million in uncollected Council Tax.

There you go. That’s £4.6 million I’ve found already – and that’s not going through it with a fine toothcomb!

Now tell me you can’t give people a decent, value for money, bin collection out of £4.6 million.

Tell me you can’t give proper home care services to vulnerable people out of £4.6 million.

Tell me you can’t let disabled motorists park for free out of £4.6 million.