Local Government Finance (Hansard, 19 April 2004)

§ Mr. Sanders
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the(a) Band D council tax and (b) average council tax paid in (i) Plymouth, (ii) Torbay, (iii) Torridge, (iv) West Devon, (v) South Hams, (vi) Exeter, (vii) Teignbridge, (viii) Mid Devon, (ix) East Devon and (x) North Devon were in financial year 2004–05, including all precepts. [165194]

§ Phil Hope
The figures are available from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website at www.locaLodpm.gov.uk/finance/ctax/ctax045 htm.

Council tax receipts collected by local authorities¹: 1996–97 to 2002–03

1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–200 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03

Cambridgeshire

Cambridge 18,519 19,607 20,614 22,253 24,985 27,199 29,929

East Cambridgeshire 10,786 11,813 13,811 15,261 16,879 18,405 22,345

Fenland 11,914 13,069 14,516 16,488 17,789 19,688 22.869

Huntingdonshire 24,753 27,067 31,686 35,909 39,958 43,414 48,650

Peterborough 21,347 22,541 27,826 31,097 34,579 36.909 40,978

South Cambridgeshire 23,850 25,976 28,537 34,169 37,745 40,766 46,754

Essex

Basildon 30,337 32,897 37,088 40,287 44.713 48,163 52,304

Braintree 22,820 25,301 29,700 32,410 35.693 38,993 43,439

Brentwood 16,390 17,827 20,537 21,436 23,950 25,898 28,232

Castle Point 16,590 17,676 20,226 21,705 23,781 25,987 28,663

Chelmsford 31,969 34,352 39,304 42,469 46,379 50,374 55,369

Colchester 27,293 29,209 33,585 36,401 39,672 42,344 48,006

Epping Forest 26,835 29,252 33,855 36,516 39,123 42,798 47,398

Harlow 13,976 14,890 17,991 19,607 20,871 67,748 24,413

Maldon 10,993 12,252 14,413 15,964 17,575 19,230 21,597

356W
On the website, figures for own Band D council tax and average area council tax can be found, for all authorities, in Table—2004–05 Council taxes (average per dwelling and Band D for two adults): individual local authorities.

§ Mr. Sanders
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the percentage council tax change has been in(a) Plymouth, (b) Devon and (c) Torbay in each of the past three years. [165195]

§ Mr. Raynsford
The increase in average area council tax for Plymouth, Devon and Torbay in each of the last three years is tabled as follows:

Percentage

Plymouth UA Torbay UA Devon

2002–03 13,4 16.8 7.1

2003–04 11.6 12.0 10.1

2004–05 10.1 18.3 6.0

Devon has been taken to comprise the area of Devon's eight district councils but exclude the areas of Plymouth and Torbay unitary authorities.

§ David Taylor
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what(a) new advice he has given to and (b) new requirements he has imposed on billing authorities in relation to the council tax payment dates for 2004–05. [165326]

§ Mr. Raynsford
The Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) (England) Regulations 1992 (SI 1992/613 as amended) set out the statutory position as to the administration of council tax. Regulation 21 in particular deals with council tax payments. No new advice or requirements have been given to or imposed on billing authorities in relation to payments dates for council tax for 2004–05.

§ Mr. Spring
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the level of council tax receipts collected by local authorities was irrespective of the financial year to which they relate in(a) Suffolk, (b) Norfolk, (c) Essex and (d) Cambridgeshire in each year from 1996–97 to 2002–03; and what the population of each authority was in each year. [165582]

§ Mr. Raynsford
The information requested is tabled as follows.
357W

Council tax receipts collected by local authorities¹: 1996–97 to 2002–03

1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–200 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03

Rochford 15,278 17,154 20,029 21,771 23,467 25,425 27,954

Southend-on-Sea 27,114 30,184 32,066 33,733 36,304 38,883 41,640

Tendring 24,015 25,956 29,717 31,216 34,503 36,805 41.452

Thurrock 21,826 23,940 24,425 26,629 28,806 31,478 35,136

Uttlesford 15,419 17,037 19,724 21,523 22,855 25,030 29,564

Norfolk

Breckland 18,389 19,208 21,630 24,299 26,305 29,636 33,139

Broadland 20,820 22,404 26,455 29,796 32,225 35,286 39,413

Great Yarmouth 13,099 14,153 16,340 17,648 19,308 21,069 23,424

Kings Lynn and West Norfolk 22,456 24,348 28,129 30,870 33,188 35,909 40,753

North Norfolk 18,804 20,423 23,805 26,081 28,142 29,969 33,767

Norwich 18,090 19,459 21,420 24,121 25,919 27,815 30,928

South Norfolk 20,317 22,126 25,542 28,649 31,036 33,544 37,810

Suffolk

Babergh 15,701 17,637 19,489 21,144 22,523 24,351 27,731

Forest Heath 7,339 8,142 9,026 9,838 10,636 11,717 13,360

Ipswich 19,449 21,329 24,588 25,118 26,985 29,130 33,004

Mid Suffolk 16,412 18,177 20,118 22,117 23,473 25,129 29,093

St. Edmundsbury 17,326 19,007 21,212 23,456 25,102 27,325 31,361

Suffolk Coastal 23,075 25.019 27,766 30,469 32,154 34,877 40,063

Waveney 17,183 18,343 20,718 22,533 23,865 26,192 29,821

¹ Irrespective of the finance years to which they relate.

Source:

QRC4 returns to ODPM

Mid-year population estimates 1996–2002

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Cambridgeshire

Cambridge 107,989 107,853 108,828 109,272 109,107 110,091 110,656

East Cambridgeshire 66,408 68,572 70,709 71,343 72,751 73,411 74,419

Fenland 79,337 80,480 81,715 82,630 83,084 83,687 84,335

Huntingdonshire 151,923 154,818 154,308 155,796 157,353 157,189 157,899

Peterborough 157,978 156,206 156,380 156,033 155,936 157,587 157,962

South Cambridgeshire 125,727 128,040 129,196 128,995 128,901 130,476 131,014

Essex

Basildon 162,100 162,968 164,107 164,673 165,203 165,895 166,397

Braintree 124,210 125,398 127,453 129,160 131,306 132,482 134,488

Brentwood 69,919 69,541 69,204 68,770 68,646 68.483 68,592

Castle Point 85,623 85,401 85,784 86,041 86,418 86,673 87,186

Chelmsford 156,723 155,737 155,603 155,664 156,228 157,269 157,527

Colchester 151,904 153,031 152,112 154,123 154,822 156,016 155,427

Epping Forest 119,235 119,379 119,944 120,576 120,754 120,972 121,338

Harlow 74,182 75,385 76,596 77,732 78,530 78,799 78,538

Maldon 74,702 55,309 56,270 57,488 58,715 59,589 60,399

Rochford 75,864 76,067 76,557 77,391 78,240 78,650 79,265

Southend-on-Sea 163,415 165,089 164,101 163,108 161,743 160,362 158,760

Tendring 131,718 132,700 134,917 135,771 137,486 138,802 139,995

Thurrock 135,041 135,675 137,766 139,895 141,735 143,297 145,235

Uttlesford 67,549 67,630 67,733 68,323 68,708 68,969 69,256

Norfolk

Breckland 112,642 114,847 116,758 118,736 120,543 121,585 122,153

Broadland 112,166 113,866 115,440 116,937 117,878 118,814 119,048

Great Yarmouth 89,428 89,218 89,805 90,157 90,600 90,945 91,549

Kings Lynn and West Norfolk 131,362 132,008 133,164 133,660 134,961 135,565 137,409

North Norfolk 95,071 96,147 97,482 97,820 98,297 98,495 98,847

Norwich 123,753 122,644 121,305 120,749 121,054 122,465 121,643

South Norfolk 105,397 106,246 107,476 108,788 110,187 110,848 112,117

Suffolk

Babergh 80,138 80,488 81,444 82,097 82,980 83,538 84,669

Forest Heath 63,627 64,626 61,872 62,212 62,060 56,223 55,505

Ipswich 115,165 114,848 116,134 116,594 116,758 117,156 117,298

Mid Suffolk 81,177 82,209 84,069 85,008 85,953 87,015 87,647

St. Edmundsbury 93,578 93,925 96,338 96,795 97,875 98,323 98,459

Suffolk Coastal 114,204 116,061 115,114 114,858 115,629 115,239 114,983

Waveney 108,481 108,633 109,981 110,560 111,645 112,497 113,370

Source:

Office for National Statistics

358W 359W

§ Brian Cotter
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of council tax was collected within the North Somerset unitary authority in each year since 1997; and what the total cost of administering council tax payments was in each year. [165680]

§ Phil Hope
The information requested is tabled as follows.

North Somerset Council

£million

Percentage of council tax collected in-year ¹ Council tax collection costs

1997–98 96.9 0.755

1998–99² 96.7 ℄

1999–2000 96.6 1.071

2000–01 96.7 1.139

2001–02 97.0 1.198

2002–03 97.1 1.811

2003–04³ — 1.674

¹Amount of council tax for the year received by the end of the financial year as a percentage of the net collectable debit for the year.

² The collection costs figure was reported as zero: the costs are assumed to have been recorded elsewhere on the RO 6 return.

³ The collection rate figure is not yet available, and the collection cost figure is a budget figure that includes business rate collection costs (in excess of the allowance) and the costs of rate and community charge collection

In-year council tax collection rate¹

1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03

Cornwall 95.8 96.9 96.2 96.6 97.0 97.2 97.5

Caradon 96.1 96.8 92.8 95.1 96.4 97.9 98.1

Carrick 95.6 97.3 96.9 96.3 97.3 97.8 97.7

Kerrier 92.9 95.1 95.3 96.1 96.6 95.3 96.7

North

Cornwall 96.2 97.1 97.5 98.1 97.2 97.5 97.3

Penwith 98.5 98.8 97.7 96.8 97.4 97.4 98.1

Restormel 96.4 96.9 97.1 97.2 97.1 97.3 97.5

Devon 95.0 94.5 95.0 95.7 95.1 95.2 96.1

East Devon 97.0 98.3 98.6 98.5 98.4 98.4 98.5

Exeter 96.9 95.2 95.0 93.7 94.9 95.2 95.9

Mid Devon 97.0 97.1 97.4 97.8 98.3 98.3 98.7

North Devon 95.7 96.2 96.8 97.0 97.0 97.5 97.3

Plymouth 89.1 89.9 90.6 90.0 90.1 90.5 92.0

South Hams 98.1 98.3 98.0 98.3 98.3 98.8 98.9

Teignbridge 94.2 95.5 95.9 96.2 97.2 97.7 97.9

Torbay 96.8 96.9 96.3 95.2 95.9 96.3 96.6

Torridge 97.0 95.3 96.5 97.3 95.8 92.1 97.1

West Devon 96.9 97.3 97.7 98.0 98.1 98.3 98.6

Percentage of housing rent collected²

1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–013 2001–02 2002–03

Cornwall districts

Caradon 99.5 99.6 98.3 97.6 96.9 97.1 98.8

Carrick 100.0 100.7 97.6 97.2 ⁴97.8 ⁴98.33 98.6

Kerrier 98.5 ⁴— ⁴— ⁴— ⁴— ⁴— ⁴—

North Cornwall 98.7 99.6 99.1 98.8 98.1 98.2 97.70

Penwith ⁴— ⁴— ⁴— ⁴— ⁴— ⁴— ⁴—

Restormel 98.8 99.1 92.8 ⁴— ⁴— ⁴— ⁴—

Devon districts

East Devon 99.5 99.8 99.4 99.0 ⁵97.6 ⁵97.2 ⁵97.8

Exeter 100.2 99.2 98.7 96.2 ⁵94.2 ⁵96.1 98.4

North Devon 98.6 99.1 96.6 ⁴— ⁴— ⁴— ⁴—

360W
Sources:
Council tax collection rates—ORC4 returns to ODPM
Council tax collection costs—R06 returns to ODPM for 1997–98 to 2002–03; RA return to ODPM for 2003–04.

§ Brian Cotter
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average household council tax level was in the North Somerset unitary authority in each year since 1997. [165682]

§ Phil Hope
The average area council tax per dwelling for North Somerset in each year since 1997–98 is tabled as follows:

Average council tax per dwelling (£)

1997–98 551

1998–99 600

1999–2000 655

2000–01 689

2001–02 721

2002–03 816

2003–04 969

2004–05 1.049

§ Mr. Swire
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what percentage of(a) council tax and (b) council house rents was collected in (i) Devon and (ii) Cornwall in each of the last seven years. [164790]

§ Mr. Raynsford
The information requested is tabled as follows.
361W

Percentage of housing rent collected²

1906–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–013 2001–02 2002–03

Plymouth 98.4 99.1 ⁶— ⁶— ⁶— ⁶— ⁶—

South Hams 99.3 99.2 ⁴— ⁴— ⁴— ⁴— ⁴—

Teignbridge 98.2 98.4 99.9 100.6 ⁵99.2 ⁴99.9 99.6

Mid Devon 99.8 99.1 99.3 99.0 98.1 98.6 98.7

Torbay 90.8 96.3 ⁶— ⁶— ⁶— ⁶— ⁶—

Torridge 98.2 98.2 98.9 99.2 97.7 96.6 96.7

West Devon 103.0 99.6 ⁴— ⁴— ⁴— ⁴— ⁴—

Plymouth UA ⁶— ⁶— 98.7 97.4 95.4 94.0 95.9

Torbay UA ⁶— ⁶— 97.3 94.7 ⁷— — —

¹ As reported on QRC4 forms. Council tax collection continues after the end of the financial year to which amounts relate and so the final percentage collected is higher than the figures shown, which exclude amounts for earlier years.

² Data collected by the Audit Commission as Audit Commission or Best Value Performance Indicators. Figures for the whole of Cornwall and Devon are not readily available.

³ The definition of rent collected changed in 2000–01 (from indicator B7 to indicator BV66a) and so figures are not comparable.

⁴ These figures may not be reliable.

⁵ Large scale stock transfer has taken place.

⁶ Not applicable: data are not comparable before and after Plymouth and Torbay because unitary authorities as a result of local government reorganisation.

⁷ Data not collected.

Council tax receipts collected by local authorities¹: 1996–97 to 2002–03
	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–200	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
Cambridgeshire
Cambridge	18,519	19,607	20,614	22,253	24,985	27,199	29,929
East Cambridgeshire	10,786	11,813	13,811	15,261	16,879	18,405	22,345
Fenland	11,914	13,069	14,516	16,488	17,789	19,688	22.869
Huntingdonshire	24,753	27,067	31,686	35,909	39,958	43,414	48,650
Peterborough	21,347	22,541	27,826	31,097	34,579	36.909	40,978
South Cambridgeshire	23,850	25,976	28,537	34,169	37,745	40,766	46,754
Essex
Basildon	30,337	32,897	37,088	40,287	44.713	48,163	52,304
Braintree	22,820	25,301	29,700	32,410	35.693	38,993	43,439
Brentwood	16,390	17,827	20,537	21,436	23,950	25,898	28,232
Castle Point	16,590	17,676	20,226	21,705	23,781	25,987	28,663
Chelmsford	31,969	34,352	39,304	42,469	46,379	50,374	55,369
Colchester	27,293	29,209	33,585	36,401	39,672	42,344	48,006
Epping Forest	26,835	29,252	33,855	36,516	39,123	42,798	47,398
Harlow	13,976	14,890	17,991	19,607	20,871	67,748	24,413
Maldon	10,993	12,252	14,413	15,964	17,575	19,230	21,597

			Percentage
	Plymouth UA	Torbay UA	Devon
2002–03	13,4	16.8	7.1
2003–04	11.6	12.0	10.1
2004–05	10.1	18.3	6.0

Mid-year population estimates 1996–2002
	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Cambridgeshire
Cambridge	107,989	107,853	108,828	109,272	109,107	110,091	110,656
East Cambridgeshire	66,408	68,572	70,709	71,343	72,751	73,411	74,419
Fenland	79,337	80,480	81,715	82,630	83,084	83,687	84,335
Huntingdonshire	151,923	154,818	154,308	155,796	157,353	157,189	157,899
Peterborough	157,978	156,206	156,380	156,033	155,936	157,587	157,962
South Cambridgeshire	125,727	128,040	129,196	128,995	128,901	130,476	131,014
Essex
Basildon	162,100	162,968	164,107	164,673	165,203	165,895	166,397
Braintree	124,210	125,398	127,453	129,160	131,306	132,482	134,488
Brentwood	69,919	69,541	69,204	68,770	68,646	68.483	68,592
Castle Point	85,623	85,401	85,784	86,041	86,418	86,673	87,186
Chelmsford	156,723	155,737	155,603	155,664	156,228	157,269	157,527
Colchester	151,904	153,031	152,112	154,123	154,822	156,016	155,427
Epping Forest	119,235	119,379	119,944	120,576	120,754	120,972	121,338
Harlow	74,182	75,385	76,596	77,732	78,530	78,799	78,538
Maldon	74,702	55,309	56,270	57,488	58,715	59,589	60,399
Rochford	75,864	76,067	76,557	77,391	78,240	78,650	79,265
Southend-on-Sea	163,415	165,089	164,101	163,108	161,743	160,362	158,760
Tendring	131,718	132,700	134,917	135,771	137,486	138,802	139,995
Thurrock	135,041	135,675	137,766	139,895	141,735	143,297	145,235
Uttlesford	67,549	67,630	67,733	68,323	68,708	68,969	69,256
Norfolk
Breckland	112,642	114,847	116,758	118,736	120,543	121,585	122,153
Broadland	112,166	113,866	115,440	116,937	117,878	118,814	119,048
Great Yarmouth	89,428	89,218	89,805	90,157	90,600	90,945	91,549
Kings Lynn and West Norfolk	131,362	132,008	133,164	133,660	134,961	135,565	137,409
North Norfolk	95,071	96,147	97,482	97,820	98,297	98,495	98,847
Norwich	123,753	122,644	121,305	120,749	121,054	122,465	121,643
South Norfolk	105,397	106,246	107,476	108,788	110,187	110,848	112,117
Suffolk
Babergh	80,138	80,488	81,444	82,097	82,980	83,538	84,669
Forest Heath	63,627	64,626	61,872	62,212	62,060	56,223	55,505
Ipswich	115,165	114,848	116,134	116,594	116,758	117,156	117,298
Mid Suffolk	81,177	82,209	84,069	85,008	85,953	87,015	87,647
St. Edmundsbury	93,578	93,925	96,338	96,795	97,875	98,323	98,459
Suffolk Coastal	114,204	116,061	115,114	114,858	115,629	115,239	114,983
Waveney	108,481	108,633	109,981	110,560	111,645	112,497	113,370
Source:
Office for National Statistics

North Somerset Council
		£million
	Percentage of council tax collected in-year ¹	Council tax collection costs
1997–98	96.9	0.755
1998–99²	96.7	℄
1999–2000	96.6	1.071
2000–01	96.7	1.139
2001–02	97.0	1.198
2002–03	97.1	1.811
2003–04³	—	1.674
¹Amount of council tax for the year received by the end of the financial year as a percentage of the net collectable debit for the year.
² The collection costs figure was reported as zero: the costs are assumed to have been recorded elsewhere on the RO 6 return.
³ The collection rate figure is not yet available, and the collection cost figure is a budget figure that includes business rate collection costs (in excess of the allowance) and the costs of rate and community charge collection

In-year council tax collection rate¹
	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02	2002–03
Cornwall	95.8	96.9	96.2	96.6	97.0	97.2	97.5
Caradon	96.1	96.8	92.8	95.1	96.4	97.9	98.1
Carrick	95.6	97.3	96.9	96.3	97.3	97.8	97.7
Kerrier	92.9	95.1	95.3	96.1	96.6	95.3	96.7
North
Cornwall	96.2	97.1	97.5	98.1	97.2	97.5	97.3
Penwith	98.5	98.8	97.7	96.8	97.4	97.4	98.1
Restormel	96.4	96.9	97.1	97.2	97.1	97.3	97.5
Devon	95.0	94.5	95.0	95.7	95.1	95.2	96.1
East Devon	97.0	98.3	98.6	98.5	98.4	98.4	98.5
Exeter	96.9	95.2	95.0	93.7	94.9	95.2	95.9
Mid Devon	97.0	97.1	97.4	97.8	98.3	98.3	98.7
North Devon	95.7	96.2	96.8	97.0	97.0	97.5	97.3
Plymouth	89.1	89.9	90.6	90.0	90.1	90.5	92.0
South Hams	98.1	98.3	98.0	98.3	98.3	98.8	98.9
Teignbridge	94.2	95.5	95.9	96.2	97.2	97.7	97.9
Torbay	96.8	96.9	96.3	95.2	95.9	96.3	96.6
Torridge	97.0	95.3	96.5	97.3	95.8	92.1	97.1
West Devon	96.9	97.3	97.7	98.0	98.1	98.3	98.6

Percentage of housing rent collected²
	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–013	2001–02	2002–03
Cornwall districts
Caradon	99.5	99.6	98.3	97.6	96.9	97.1	98.8
Carrick	100.0	100.7	97.6	97.2	⁴97.8	⁴98.33	98.6
Kerrier	98.5	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—
North Cornwall	98.7	99.6	99.1	98.8	98.1	98.2	97.70
Penwith	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—
Restormel	98.8	99.1	92.8	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—
Devon districts
East Devon	99.5	99.8	99.4	99.0	⁵97.6	⁵97.2	⁵97.8
Exeter	100.2	99.2	98.7	96.2	⁵94.2	⁵96.1	98.4
North Devon	98.6	99.1	96.6	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—

	Average council tax per dwelling (£)
1997–98	551
1998–99	600
1999–2000	655
2000–01	689
2001–02	721
2002–03	816
2003–04	969
2004–05	1.049

Percentage of housing rent collected²
	1906–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–013	2001–02	2002–03
Plymouth	98.4	99.1	⁶—	⁶—	⁶—	⁶—	⁶—
South Hams	99.3	99.2	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—
Teignbridge	98.2	98.4	99.9	100.6	⁵99.2	⁴99.9	99.6
Mid Devon	99.8	99.1	99.3	99.0	98.1	98.6	98.7
Torbay	90.8	96.3	⁶—	⁶—	⁶—	⁶—	⁶—
Torridge	98.2	98.2	98.9	99.2	97.7	96.6	96.7
West Devon	103.0	99.6	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—	⁴—
Plymouth UA	⁶—	⁶—	98.7	97.4	95.4	94.0	95.9
Torbay UA	⁶—	⁶—	97.3	94.7	⁷—	—	—
¹ As reported on QRC4 forms. Council tax collection continues after the end of the financial year to which amounts relate and so the final percentage collected is higher than the figures shown, which exclude amounts for earlier years.
² Data collected by the Audit Commission as Audit Commission or Best Value Performance Indicators. Figures for the whole of Cornwall and Devon are not readily available.
³ The definition of rent collected changed in 2000–01 (from indicator B7 to indicator BV66a) and so figures are not comparable.
⁴ These figures may not be reliable.
⁵ Large scale stock transfer has taken place.
⁶ Not applicable: data are not comparable before and after Plymouth and Torbay because unitary authorities as a result of local government reorganisation.
⁷ Data not collected.