Agenda item

Question and Answer Session for Members of the Public

Minutes:

Question to the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee

 

Mr Tobe Hayden Leigh asked the following question of the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee:

 

At a previous full Council meeting the Council confirmed that the Council Tax Liability Order was enforced but not as a legal entity as such.

 

My question is if it is not a legal entity as such what entity is it?

 

The Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee replied that:

 

I believe you are making reference to a question asked of the former Leader of the Council, Councillor Mrs Blackmore, at the meeting of the Council on 25 February 2015.

 

To answer your question, a Council Tax Liability Order is a Court Order which enables the Council to recover unpaid Council Tax.

 

Councillor Mrs Blackmore, the Leader of the Conservative Group, Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, Councillor Sargeant, the Leader of the UKIP Group, and Councillor McKay, the Leader of the Labour Group, then responded to the question.

 

Mr Leigh asked the following supplementary question of the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee:

 

If it is not a legal entity as such, then what is it?  Is it, for example, a trust arrangement, and, if so, who are the beneficiaries?

 

The Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee replied that:

 

If I understand you correctly, you seem to be querying whether Maidstone Borough Council or, indeed, the Court is a legal entity, so I will give you a very straightforward answer.  In this country, people are obliged to pay their Council Tax, and if they do not do so then there are measures that can be taken which involve a Court Order and going to Court.  If you have any further queries, I suggest that they are dealt with outside of this meeting, but I do not think that I can be any clearer about what this organisation is.  It is a legal entity, it is a sovereign authority, and as such it has the right to levy Council Tax and expect it to be paid when it is due.

 

Councillor Mrs Blackmore, the Leader of the Conservative Group, Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, Councillor Sargeant, the Leader of the UKIP Group, and Councillor McKay, the Leader of the Labour Group, then responded to the question.

 

Question to the Chairman of the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee

 

Mr Daniel Wilkinson asked the following question of the Chairman of the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee:

 

To what extent can Maidstone Borough Council put pressure on Kent County Council to open up empty buildings it owns as temporary shelter for the homeless, with a view to converting them into social housing?

 

The Chairman of the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee replied that:

 

I can assure you that the Council works very closely with Kent County Council, but currently there are no empty buildings owned by the County Council that we know of that they would be willing to hand over to convert to social housing.

 

I would refer you to the Maidstone Housing Strategy on the agenda this evening and the response to Councillor Harper’s motion, and I believe that the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee is aware of the issues and is trying to put things right.  You may wish to take the opportunity to put questions to the Committee.

 

Councillor Mrs Blackmore, the Leader of the Conservative Group, Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, Councillor Sargeant, the Leader of the UKIP Group, and Councillor McKay, the Leader of the Labour Group, then responded to the question.

 

Mr Wilkinson asked the following supplementary question of the Chairman of the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee:

 

Will the Council run an audit of other properties it owns, if any?

 

The Chairman of the Communities, Housing and Environment Committee replied that:

 

The Council keeps its property portfolio up to date and reviews it continuously, and is always looking for opportunities to increase the supply of accommodation for homeless people.  Reference has been made to an empty property at the cemetery, but there are problems with asbestos, and the renovation of the property will do little to solve the homelessness problem.

 

Councillor Mrs Blackmore, the Leader of the Conservative Group, Councillor Mrs Wilson, the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Mrs Gooch, the Leader of the Independent Group, Councillor Sargeant, the Leader of the UKIP Group, and Councillor McKay, the Leader of the Labour Group, then responded to the question.