In an unusual turn of events, Forest of Dean District Council in Gloucestershire recently experienced what many residents face when dealing with unpaid debts – a visit from a bailiff. Enforcement agents, typically deployed by councils to collect unpaid council tax from residents, arrived instead to seek payments owed by the council itself.
The incident stemmed from costs linked to planning and enforcement appeals that the council lost. Over the past seven years, the council has faced 93 successful appeals, some of which resulted in costs awarded to residents. Specifically, one case necessitated the intervention of enforcement agents to recover the owed sum, sparking concerns over the council’s handling of its financial obligations.
Councillor Bernie O’Neill described the situation as “shocking” during a full council meeting. He highlighted that seven other similar cases remain unresolved and urged the council leader to confirm the circumstances surrounding the bailiff visit. O’Neill emphasized that non-payment of debts by the council should be taken as seriously, if not more so, than residents failing to pay council tax promptly.
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Council leader Adrian Birch acknowledged the visit, confirming that the enforcement agent left after brief discussions with legal officers without taking further action. Birch revealed that 318 planning appeals had taken place over seven years, with 93 successful for appellants and 13 resulting in awarded costs. However, payment disputes remain, with the council challenging some claimed amounts as disproportionate or unsupported by evidence.
O’Neill countered Birch’s statements, asserting that bailiffs have visited multiple times and have collected payments. He has called for an emergency investigation into the council’s planning department’s costs over the last seven years, citing substantial evidence from residents and correspondence with council officers that suggest stalled negotiations rather than ongoing discussions.
Monitoring officer Helen Clarke vouched for the accuracy and truthfulness of the council’s official response, citing her personal knowledge of the cases. Meanwhile, Chief Executive Nigel Brinn deemed the call for an investigation reasonable and suggested it be referred to the audit committee.
This incident underscores the importance of councils managing their debts transparently and promptly, reflecting the expectations they have for their residents.