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Reporting local life since 1854
Monday, April 9, 2012
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NO OLD PALS’ ACT FOR HORTON Taxpayers failed to pay for services
£381k is spent on empty sites
COUNCIL TO CHASE £8m DEBT
BY ALEX CAMPBELL
alex.campbell@thesentinel.co.uk
TAXPAYERS owe Stoke-on-Trent City Council £8.6 million after failing to pay for a host of services over a 15 year period. The authority is now trying to claw back millions of pounds in minor debts from thousands of people across the city. Much of this money is owed after the authority allowed residents to use services without settling the bill until later. Now new policies have been introduced, forcing them to pay upfront “wherever possible”. The sundry debts cover a range of items from allotments, skip hire, use of sports facilities, room hire, licensing fees and planning costs, commercial rent, market rent and collecting rubbish from businesses. Details of the bill were revealed just weeks after the Labour-run council confirmed budget cuts of £24 million for 2012/ 13, following city-
wide cuts of £35.6 million last year. Councillor Abi Brown, Conservative group leader, pictured below, said: “We have got to make sure the city council is run like a business. “There are still services where charges are not being made up front. I just hope the council has learned its lesson.” The council has begun the process of selling off a package of rent, tax and other debts to a debt collection agency in a lastditch attempt to reclaim them. But millions of pounds is expected to be written off by the cabinet later this year. Terry Cope, chairman of Greenfields Residents’ Association in Tunstall, said: “It just shows the level of incompetence there has been. Considering they are making cuts all across the city, it’s no wonder people call us Jokeon-Trent.” The debts have been amassed in the years since Stoke-on-Trent gained unitary status in 1997. The council was unable to say who owed the most money. Councillor
Sarah Hill, cabinet member for finance, said: “It’s now about how we manage it from here on in. We have got to be much more savvy about what we expect of people.” The council said collection rates for the debts are improving after changes in policy. Measures will also include allowing people to pay for more services by phone or online. The authority reclaimed 91 per cent of sundry debts raised in 2011/12, up from 89 per cent a year earlier. Officials admitted the council’s previous charging policies failed – and at its worst the amount owed hit £12 million. A council spokesman said: “A recent review has changed our processes to charge in advance or at the point of service delivery, wherever possible, rather than after the event, thus guaranteeing collection. “The council recognises that prompt income collection is vital for ensuring the authority has the resources it needs to deliver its services.”
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HUNDREDS of thousands of pounds is being spent to help protect disused council buildings. Stoke-on-Trent City Council revealed security costs have increased significantly over the last four years. In 2011/12, the bill came to £381,000. It follows a decision to close facilities to save money. See Page 4
Water bill row may shut pub A PUB owner fears he could have to close after being landed with a huge water bill. Glen Geldard, from The Chesters pub, in Chesterton, owes £6,700 to Severn Trent Water and has been told the supplies could be cut off today. It follows a long-running battle to get the water company to fix two leaking underground service pipes. See Page 5
Plan to rip out church graves CHURCH leaders have unveiled plans to take up hundreds of gravestones to improve the entrance and grounds. The project, costing almost £200,000, would see an old mound at St Giles’ Church, in Newcastle, flattened and some gravestones repositioned to create a striking dominoeffect feature. See Page 15
Plane terror over the Alps: See Page 3
CROUCHIE FOR ENGLAND?
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