It’s a long time since I considered the doings of the ‘Owl of the Remove’ Mr Pickles. This time he has had a go at Liverpool City Council’s Labour Leaders which is unjust. If I thought that his story had a scintilla of truth in it I would have no hesitation in leading the attack on the Council but his comments show either total ignorance or a total disregard for the facts.
This is what Mr Pickles said Read more: Liverpool Echo http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/2013/04/26/eric-pickles-attacks-merseyside-s-incompetent-rotten-boroughs-over-150m-plus-council-tax-arrears-100252-33238786/#ixzz2RYPCIVKq
This is what I have sent to the Liverpool Echo.
The Editor,
The Liverpool Echo
26th April 2013
Dear Sir,
Once again Tory Minister, Eric Pickles, shows his widespread ignorance of local government in his condemnation of Liverpool City Council’s council tax arrears.
Most councils just give up on arrears collection after 6 months. They write off any outstanding arrears and their books look good although their tax payers suffer.
Liverpool never gives up on chasing arrears and thus overall has a much better collection rate than many other authorities. That fact that last year it managed to collect £300,000 of poll tax debt which is 20 years old is proof of this.
What is it that people want – good collection rates that mean that all who should pay do pay or spuriously clean accounts that have let people of paying who had the means to do so?
For the past twenty years Liverpool, has done the former and I hope it will continue to do so.
I am copying this letter to Mr Pickles in the hope that he will have the good grace to apologise.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr Richard Kemp CBE,
Leader, Liverpool Liberal Democrats
