Local Government Finance

Oral Answers to Questions — Environment – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 27 February 1991.

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Photo of Mr Richard Holt Mr Richard Holt , Langbaurgh 12:00, 27 February 1991

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the latest percentage figures of the number of community charge payers who have made payments for the recent year in (a) Langbaurgh, (b) Middlesbrough, (c) Hartlepool, (d) Stockton and (e) North Tyneside; and if he will make a statement.

Photo of Robert Key Robert Key , Salisbury

Payments had been made by 31 December 1990 by 88 per cent. of charge payers in Langbaurgh; 89 per cent. in Middlesbrough; 86 per cent. in Hartlepool; 83 per cent. in Stockton; and 94 per cent. in North Tyneside. In most areas the proportion is now nine out of 10, which is very encouraging. However, Iangbaurgh collected only 51 per cent. of its budgeted yield in the first nine months of the year, compared with 84 per cent. in North Tyneside.

Photo of Mr Richard Holt Mr Richard Holt , Langbaurgh

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that answer, but not very, as it shows how inefficient Langbaurgh council is. It has been able to collect only 51 per cent. of the yield that it should have collected by now. Is there anything that my hon. Friend's Department can do to appoint an inspector or someone else with competence to Langbaurgh council to sort out the inefficiency which has meant that many people have yet to receive their community charge bills, let alone pay them?

Photo of Robert Key Robert Key , Salisbury

As my hon. Friend says, there is a wide variation in the efficiency of local authorities' collection. Many local authorities have not used the collection powers available to them.