SUMMARY OF MEETING - LOCAL AUTHORITY LIAISON GROUP MEETING
23 October 2007

PRESENT:

• Patrick Bond
• Kevin Hodgson
• John Morris
• Dean Sharpe
• Stephen Wright
• Andrew Booth
• Gill Rendall
• Alan Dowling
• Margaret Elcocks
• Andrew Turpin
• Stephen Wright
• Lesley Searle
• Rob John

2. Previous Minutes

The minutes from the previous meeting were agreed.

3. Matters Arising

None

4. Transformation of Maintenance

Attendees were provided a summary of the position on TOMI.

• The VO has a target to report both council tax (CT) and non-domestic rating (NDR) reports within an average elapsed time of 10 workings days by 2010.
  
• The elapsed time targets for 2007.08 are 14 days for CT (16 days in Wales) and 18 days for NDR. The majority of groups are already achieving the NDR target for the end of this year. The impact of the additional enquiries received following the ‘Tonight’ programme has resulted in slower progress against the CT target. However, nearly all of these enquiries have been dealt with. Despite this influx of work the CT achievement against elapsed time is very encouraging and the performance and commitment of teams on the ground should be applauded.
  
• The Triage approach to report handling was introduced across the network towards the end of last year and is up and running in all Groups.
  
• The VOA network is now focusing on Working In Advance (WIA) and the identification and development of information sources to improve customer service to both taxpayers and billing authorities and reduce the time it takes to identify and band new dwellings. WIA will reduce the incidence of backdated billing. Early provision of this information will negate the need for BAs to set up and administer repayment schemes where backdated amounts have accrued.
  

How can Billing authorities cane help with WIA by

o Provision of plans
o Access to BA websites at a higher level than provided to the public
o Provision of commencement lists
o Provision of completion lists
o Provision of effective dates as early as possible
o Provision of reference numbers as early as possible
o Bills issued to taxpayers as soon as possible after they move in
Help to establish links into their Building Control and Planning departments

Service Partnership Agreement (SPA)

A summary was given to the meeting:

• SPAs have been in its existing format for a number of years with the exception of a few tweaks but no major changes. Following feedback from BAs and from within the Agency the template SPA is currently under review with the aim of making it more user friendly and meaningful. The VOA is keen to encourage greater input from the BAs.
• There are two areas to review – the format and the content/wording. A draft revision of the format has now been carried out and the content/wording is under review.

The draft will then be circulated at the next round of BA meetings and feedback will be requested.

5. Non Domestic Revaluation 2010

The meeting was with an overview of progress on Reval 2010 to date and a brief exchange followed.

The views of Billing Authorities on what they might require leading up to revaluation in 2010 was canvassed.

6. Council Tax

An update was given on current Council Tax appeal cases involving matters of law, and explained the principles governing ‘appurtenance’ with regard to a dwelling in relation to stables.

Provision of information from SDLT forms to BAs

A data security issue relating to the provision of information to BAs had arisen in Birmingham where the VO has declined to supply names that appear on SDLT forms to the BA in order that they can raise BARs.

The VOA had no reason to be obstructive in this and wish to work as closely as possible with BAs. However the issue is one of recent legislation which specifically and unequivocally blocks supply of this type of information. The VOA are prohibited from disclosing information about taxpayers under Commissioners of Revenue and Customs Act 2005, and particularly s18(1) which prohibits disclosure of any information we hold for a function which

(a) identifies the person to whom the information relates, or
(b) would enable the person to be deduced
s19 makes breach of this section a criminal offence.

Also the Data protection Act prohibits disclosure of personal data, which according to the Information Commissioners office includes names. The problem was acknowledged and VOA’s Data Strategy Team is dealing with the matter.

An update was given on the work being carried out by Listing Officers following the recent media coverage and "Tonight with Trevor McDonald" television programme in January 2007. The VOA has received over 100,000 enquiries since the programme was broadcast. Close to 95% of these have been resolved, approximately 30% of which resulted in band alterations. Whilst this was a tiny number in the context of 22million dwellings, the work had nevertheless been challenging for the VOA. It was noted that the standard of service to taxpayers had been high and that this had been recognised by external commentators.

The meeting discussed the impact on billing authorities, particularly where reductions had to be backdated to 1 April 1993. There was some discussion on whether backdating of payments might be limited and whether the VOA might consider compensating billing authorities for the additional administrative burden that this created.

7. The Rating (Empty Properties) Act.

This item has been carried forward to the next meeting.

8. VOA/BA IT Interface

It was stated that most recent software releases were in support of items covered earlier in the agenda, such as the NNDR Revaluation and working in advance. He had nothing specific to cover with BA representations but invited them to raise any queries that they had. A general discussion followed in respect of the take-up of the Electronic BA Reports software (now running at 175 Authorities) and how that might be improved.

9. Rating Case Update

David Tretton provided a brief update.

10. Any Other Business

None

11. Date of Next Meeting

29th January 2008- 10.30am- NB postponed - New meeting date set for 6th March – 1pm.