Business Rate Service Plan

The business rates service

Wealden District Council is a designated billing authority. We carry out administration and collection of Business Rates in accordance with statute law, regulations and case law, to achieve the collection targets.

The service has strong links to all functions, as failure to generate income, would have serious implications for Council services. The plan links into the prosperity theme of the Community Strategy.

Key Actions

To identify liabilities for business rates

To undertake billing and collection and make reductions in accordance with legislation and Council policy

To permit payments by instalments in line with statutory rules

To effect enforcement activity for cases in arrears in accordance with legislation and Council policy

To meet target collection rates as set annually and to monitor performance with other billing authorities

Programme for 2009/10

To ensure effective service delivery across all areas of policy
Increase collection rates to at least agreed targets
Reduce average time to answer correspondence
Implement business rate deferral scheme
Implement 2010 national revaluation
Increase the number of direct debit payers across the district

Performance Targets for 2009/10

	Our Performance in 2008/09	Targets for 2006/07
To collect 98.5% of 2008/09 business rates within the year	Achieved - 97.7% collected	To collect 98% of 2009/10 business rates.
To collect 99.2% of 2007/08 business rates by 31 March 2009	99% collected	To collect 99.2% of 2008/09 business rates by 31 March 2010
To answer 90% correspondence within 5 working days of their receipt.	95.7% answered	To answer 90% correspondence within 5 working days of their receipt.