See answers to previous information requests

I would like to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act. This request relates to enforcement agents (also known as "bailiffs") that have been used by the council.

1.
a) Between 01 January 2020 and 30 June 2023, how many times have bailiffs been deployed by the council? Please break this down by year.
• Accounts Receivable Department
2022: 36
2023: 21
• Highways Department
2020: 965
2021: 2,294
2022: 3,092
2023: 1,226 (Up to 30th June 2023)
• Council Tax
2020: 570
2021: 3006
2022: 3254
2023: 1600
• Business Rates
2020: 44
2021: 212
2022: 223
2023: 105
• Housing Benefit Overpayment figures –
2020: 12
b) How many individuals does this relate to?
• Accounts Receivable Department
2022: 17
2023: 20
• Highways Department
For each case, a warrant is issued to the registered keeper of the vehicle.
• Housing Department: 3
• Council Tax
8430 - Above is the total number of Council Tax case instructions for the period.
• Business Rates
584 - Above is the total number of Business Rates case instructions for the period.
• Housing Benefit overpayment
2020: 12
c) How many companies does this relate to?
• Accounts Receivable Department
2022: 0
2023: 1
• Highways Department
We do not hold this information as each case is issued to the registered keeper of the vehicle.
• Housing Department: 0
• Housing Benefit overpayments: N/A

2. In cases where the council deployed bailiffs during this period (01 January 2020 and 30 June 2023) how much debt did this relate to, in total?
• Accounts Receivable Department: £80,359.23
• Highways Department: From 01 January 2020 to the 30 June 2023 the total amount issued on warrants to our Bailiff Services was £340,825.00
• Housing Department: £9,958.75
• Council Tax Department: £9,333,426.34*
• Business Rates Department: £3,455,353.57*
• Housing Benefit Overpayment figure: £58,780.27

*Above is the total of the debt issued to Enforcement Agents for collection. Note where one Enforcement Agent was instructed and was unsuccessful in enforcing payment and another Enforcement Agent was subsequently instructed, the same debt will be counted more than once in the above figures.

3. In cases where the council deployed bailiffs during this period (01 January 2020 and 30 June 2023) what was the smallest amount of debt owed by an individual?
• Accounts Receivable Department: £72.38
• Highways Department: Individual warrants are issued for £84.00 for lower contravention and £113.00 for Higher contraventions.
• Housing Department: £2119.22
• Council Tax: £110.00
• Business Rates: £140.00
• Housing Benefit Overpayment figure: £52.16 (please note, collection for these debt types did not attract fees or charges to the Council)

4. Does the council directly employ its own bailiffs/ enforcement agencies, or does it use private enforcement agencies/ companies to do this work on the council's behalf?
• Accounts Receivable Department: Only private agencies
• Highways Department: We employ Marston Holdings for all Penalty Charge Notice enforcement action.
• Housing Department: We use county court bailiffs
• Council Tax, Business Rates and Housing Benefit Overpayment figure: External Enforcement Agents are used. (The council does not employ its own Enforcement Agents).

5. Please provide the names of all bailiff / enforcement companies that have been paid by the council at any time between 01 January 2020 and 30 June 2023.
• Accounts Receivable Department: Empira
• Highways Department: We do not pay for bailiff services for enforcement of Penalty Charge Notice Warrants.
• Housing Department: N/A
• Council Tax, Business Rates and Housing Benefit: Marston Recovery, Bristow & Sutor, Empira