SUMMARY OF MEETING - LOCAL AUTHORITY LIAISON GROUP MEETING
6 March 2008
PRESENT:
Mr David Tretton |
VOA (Chairman)
|
Justin Giles |
VOA |
Patrick Bond |
VOA |
Alan Dowling |
VOA |
David Maddison
|
Local Government Association |
John Smallwood |
VOA |
|
|
John Morris |
Hull |
Carla- Maria Heath
|
City of London |
Andrew Booth
|
VOA |
Asha Meetaroo
|
(Personal Secretary) |
1. Apologies for Absence
- Richard Browne
- Stephen Wright
- Tim Eden
- Fern Silverio
- Andrew Turpi
- Dean Sharpe
- Steve Bliss
- Lesley Searle
2. Previous Minutes
The minutes from the previous meeting were agreed.
3. Matters Arising
None
4. Transformation of Maintenance and Responsible Business Index Entry
| Latest figures |
Non-Domestic Rating (NDR) target of average18 working days for a Report now at 11.18
Council Tax (CT) target of average 14 working days for a Report now at 12.05 in Wales and 14.71 in England
Aim is for 10 days in 2010.
Some Billing Authorities (BAs) have commented on a noticeable improvement |
| Partnership |
Still some room for improvement in partnerships with BAs and Planning, Building Control and Street Naming and Numbering.
NLPG and their NLPG Advance linked to LLPG - unsure of actual progress at this time
LABC - support and advisory group - likely to put in their newsletter LABC Outlook |
| Crucial dates |
What are THE crucial dates for BAs?
NDR - Answer was third week of January
CT - Answer was 11 October.
But in both cases the improved timeliness automatically assists. |
| WIA |
Now 11% of new homes. Some good reaction from builders
Shown to reduce the gap between "effective date" and "Schedule Date".
Working well with completion notices, but only minority use "completion notices"
Just over half are BA reports rather than VO or LO - sent in advance
Some BAs want to stick with BA report and don't want us to be so pro-active |
| Service Partnership Agreement |
Revised version in hard copy presented for comments |
Responsible Business or Corporate Social Responsibility
| Responsible Business Report |
Hard copy available at the meeting. On VOA web-site also under Publications.
Statement, achievements and commitments set out in the RB Report
Community, Environment, Marketplace, Workforce are the main headings for responsible Business. |
| BITC |
VOA are members of BITC (Business in the Community)
May Day network |
| Companies that Count |
Sunday Times sponsored and reported "Companies that Count" CR Index.
VOA in the top 100 Companies that Count, by being awarded Bronze last year and now awaiting this years results. |
| Partnership Community |
Happy to consider any partnership arrangements, locally and wider
desire to work with schools in developing skills for children and linking to
our own development by using our "Volunteer day". Will normally be LA
(BA) schools. |
5. Reval 2010
The meeting was updated on current progress on the non-domestic revaluation for 2010. There are some 30% more rents available now than at the same point in 2005 programme. The application of the code of measuring practice to convert from NIA to GIA was progressing satisfactorily.
Regarding draft lists, it had been requested on behalf of LAs that the required dates were
- 1st draft 30th Sept 2009
- 2nd draft 31st December
- From 1st Jan Update schedules to all lists
It was stated that whilst VOA would hope to provide 2nd draft list, this would be subject to cost.
6.Council Tax Update
1.The meeting was provided the meeting with a brief update on current appeals proceeding beyond VT stage.
2. An understanding had been reached with National Trust over the treatment of composite dwellings for banding purposes where the domestic part forms a small part of a house open to the public.
3. The meeting was updated on the VOA’s handling of recent media interest in particular the scheduled further edition of the “Tonight” programme. Statements had been provided to organisers.
7. The Rating (Empty Properties) Act
The meeting was provided with a brief update on possible issues with the introduction of changes to the charges on empty property to be introduced in April. It was noted that there is currently no specific anti-avoidance legislation in place to guard against constructive vandalism. However with a possibility that any future legislation might be retrospective, such action was clearly a risky strategy.
8. IT Issues
Attendees were informed of:
- Central Memorandum of Agreement (CMOA)
The changes for the 2008/08 agreement are being drafted and will be sent out for input very shortly. Formal issue for signature by appropriate parties will happen during March.
- ·Electronic BA reports and Internet File Transfer Statistics
high-level statistics for E-Bars and Internet file transfers (to end of Jan 2008).
- New Unitary Authorities
Parliamentary approval has already been granted for the creation of 5 new UAs in Cornwall, County Durham, Northumberland, Shropshire and Wiltshire.
Another one or two UAs could be created in Cheshire (pending review by H of L)
Norwich, Ipswich & Exeter (single BA to UA changes) look as if they will be deferred until 2010 at least.
VOA will carry out necessary changes to its databases in April 2009 to merge the BAs into their new UAs. VOA needs to know new names and LAIDs in advance.
(Subsequent to meeting it has been announced that there will be two UAs in Cheshire and two UAs in Bedfordshire.)
E-BARs Statistics
Period 28-Apr-2006 (Start of e-BARs) to 29-Feb-2008
Council Tax – 181,919 e-BARs and 795,162 manual BARs. (E-BARs at 18.62%)
NNDR – 55,540 e-BARs and 164,927 manual BARs. (E-BARs at 25.19%)
Total – 237,459 e-BARs and 960,089 manual BARs. (E-BARs at 19.83%)
Period 01-Apr-2007 to 29-Feb-2008
Council Tax – 127,331 e-BARs and 360,329 manual BARs. (E-BARs at 26.11%)
NNDR – 39,423 e-BARs and 75,066 manual BARs. (E-BARs at 34.43%)
Total – 166,754 e-BARs and 435,395 manual BARs. (E-BARs at 27.69%)
179 (159 in England) BAs have been involved in sending e-BARs to date. 160 are still active.
Almost entirely (over 90% of total) on e-BARs – 113 for NDR and 84 for CT.
BA Totals by method
SS |
234 |
64.64% |
WEB |
103 |
28.45% |
XML |
25 |
6.91% |
TOTAL |
362 |
100.00% |
BA File Downloads (Jan to Dec 2007)
| |
Council Tax |
NDR |
Format |
ASV |
CSV |
PDF |
XML |
ALL |
ASV |
CSV |
PDF |
XML |
ALL |
Files |
5109 |
3115 |
73397 |
19 |
81640 |
5564 |
7361 |
87134 |
484 |
100543 |
No of BA's |
160 |
204 |
367 |
10 |
375 |
180 |
241 |
377 |
103 |
380 |
9. Customer Services
The meeting was updated on current levels of customer service
10. Rating Case Update
The meeting was updated with a brief summary of a few of the leading current non-domestic appeals.
11. Any other Business
No items raised
12. Date of next meeting
23rd July 2008- 13.00pm- MR11
|
