Reference No: FOI-91097 / June 2014
“This FOI request concerns 2013 applications by Thurrock Council to the Magistrates court for Council Tax arrears
1, How many applications were filed with the courts.
2, Was the full court fee paid to HMCTS in respect of each individual application form submitted to the court.
3, Did the application forms contain only a single defendant.
4, How many people were summoned for council tax arrears.
5, What was the total amount of fees paid to HMCTS.
6, How many times were costs awarded to the council in respect of the applications made.
7, What was the total amount of costs awarded to the council.”
Your request has been handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
I can confirm that the department holds information that you have asked for, and I am pleased to provide this to you.
1, How many applications were filed with the courts.
There were 7513 Council Tax applications and 219 Non domestic rates applications filed with the court in 2013.
2, Was the full court fee paid to HMCTS in respect of each individual application form submitted to the court.
Yes, the fee paid to the Court in respect of each application is set in statute and is £3.00 per application and is paid to HMCTS accounts office.
3, Did the application forms contain only a single defendant.
No.
4, How many people were summoned for council tax arrears.
There were 7513 people summonsed in 2013 for council tax arrears.
5, What was the total amount of fees paid to HMCTS.
The Council/Local authority collects the fees paid, not HMCTS. For more information you may wish to contact Thurrock council directly.
6, How many times were costs awarded to the council in respect of the applications made.
I can confirm that costs were awarded on 7732 occasions
7, What was the total amount of costs awarded to the council.
The total amount of costs awarded in 2013 is £734,540.