Wrexham Council approves set up of in-house bailiff service

Wrexham Council is to launch its own bailiff service to recover debts.

Members of the executive board unanimously backed plans to press ahead with the service at its meeting this morning.

It had been proposed that the service was set-up to primary deal with Council Tax and Non Domestic Rating payment issues. However the service could also deal with wider council debts when required.

The service itself it hoped to be self-financing with the income collected covering the costs.

Speaking this morning Cllr Mark Prichard, leader of Wrexham Council, said: “I am pleased this report is in front of us. This is an area we have to cater for and be more sympathetic and thoughtful to people who have debt.

“If we have a consistent and hands on approach, we can be more considerate.”

The service will possibly be available to third parties and some work could still be undertaken by ‘partners’.

Figures previously released show that the council dispatched 3,223 bailiffs from private firms during 2016/17, which represents an increase of almost 30 per cent compared to two years earlier.

The report before councillors noted 84 Non Domestic Rates cases were referred to enforcement agents. This resulted in £1.16m (£1.035m Council Tax and £124k Non Domestic Rates) of unpaid revenues being collected and paid to the Authority.

A review of the service and its progress will take place in 12 months time.