Complaint outcomes: Local taxation and other public finance

This section covers complaints about:

• local taxation, such as
  • council tax 
  • non-domestic (business) rates

• public finance, such as
  • grants to voluntary bodies
  • other funding matters, but not student support, housing grants or benefits

Recent cases in this category are shown below.

Brighton & Hove City Council (08 014 087)
There was a significant failure in the way Brighton & Hove City Council made a woman bankrupt for unpaid council tax and parking fines.

03 February 2010

Thurrock Council (09 006 694)
The Council charged an illegal £400 fee for administering a council tax payment plan it had agreed as an alternative to making a man bankrupt,

03 February 2010

London Borough of Newham (08 019 113)
The Council made a woman with mental illness bankrupt for council tax debts, without considering whether this was a suitable recovery method in the circumstances.

28 September 2009

Manchester City Council (07B10432)
There were “significant failings” in the way Manchester City Council used bankruptcy proceedings to recover council tax debt.

22 September 2009

Slough Borough Council (08 009 315)
The council tax department failed to suspend bailiff action against a woman when it was advised that she was totally dependent on its own social services.

26 March 2009