Unpaid rates bill now £250,000
9:56am Saturday 29th December 2012 in News
BUSINESSES owe nearly £250,000 in unpaid rates to Bolton Council.
Town Hall chiefs have taken 71 businesses to court to try and reclaim some of the £235,520.50 owed in business rates.
Magistrates imposed liability orders on the businesses, which gives the council the power to use bailiffs to get the money.
But council chiefs have said bailiffs are used as a “last resort”.
Of the 71 businesses taken to court, 21 made arrangements to pay before the court case.
The money owed ranges from a few hundred pounds to more than £10,000.
The most owed by one individual business is £17,121.59.
Businesses owing money include takeaways, a post office, restaurants, shops, petrol stations, exercise centres and education centres.
It comes just three months after the council took 49 businesses to court in September to try and reclaim £253,430.29 in unpaid rates.
Three weeks ago, the council took 725 residents to court in an attempt to get them to pay £414,658.64 owed in unpaid Council Tax.
A Bolton Council spokesman said: “The council collects business rates on behalf of the Government and is responsible for ensuring all businesses pay their contributions.
“If any business does not pay their rates on time, we will send reminders and offer them the opportunity to arrange a payment plan.
“We encourage businesses to contact us, either to arrange payment of the rates, or to provide any extenuating circumstances why they have not been able to pay.
“As a last resort, we will apply to the court for a Liability Order, which gives us the authority to engage bailiffs to recover the money.”
The council wants to encourage people struggling to pay their council tax bills to get in touch as they may be able to help.
Comments(11)
Citizen Cane
says...
10:24am Sat 29 Dec 12
Now, if payment is optional and there is no real sanction, why doesn't everyone just not pay? That show syou haw ridiculous this situation is.
Citizen Cane
says...
10:27am Sat 29 Dec 12
Rocket_Scientist
says...
5:03pm Sat 29 Dec 12
farnworth's mafia
says...
7:45pm Sat 29 Dec 12
eg.a particular building is farnworth town centre has business rates of about 100 a week . if you add business rates , rent ,wages, electrics and gas,cost of goods brought in compared against his wages the guy does even get to take a wage home. so what is expectedof him.
ps. above example is factual.
Brit moaner
says...
12:05am Sun 30 Dec 12
6:57pm Sat 29 Dec 12
Hello, hello, takeaways, post offices, education centres and petrol stations, hmmm!!
same old racist
SHUT IT !!!!!
steveG
says...
1:27am Sun 30 Dec 12
The proceeds go to pay ridiculously high salaries to council officials who are a drain on resources and are of no benefit to this once great community.
normid norm
says...
10:34am Sun 30 Dec 12
We have a growing family business and relocated to bury last year due to the cost of rates in Bolton. When we were in Bolton our rates went up to nearly more than our rent.
When you consider the cost of salaries paid to Councilor Morris & his cronies, it make you angry!
saj70n
says...
3:10pm Sun 30 Dec 12
saj70n
says...
3:13pm Sun 30 Dec 12
mustafa-moan wrote:get a life
Hello, hello, takeaways, post offices, education centres and petrol stations, hmmm!!
Andyroost
says...
3:58pm Sun 30 Dec 12
mustafa-moan wrote:and corner shops
Hello, hello, takeaways, post offices, education centres and petrol stations, hmmm!!
notgonehome says...
10:18am Sat 29 Dec 12