Debt Recovery System

Description

The Revenues, Benefits and Welfare has an inhouse enforcement agent (bailiff) team for the recovery of unpaid council debts - council tax, business rates, BIDs, parking tickets and sundry debts. The system functions as a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool, enabling the team to issue statutory notices, track enforcement actions, and maintain accurate and up-to-date customer records. It ensures compliance with legal requirements, improves operational efficiency, and supports the delivery of a statutory service by facilitating timely and appropriate enforcement activity. The software is essential for maintaining transparency, auditability, and effective communication throughout the enforcement process. This system is currently subject to the ongoing Debt Management Review, which is assessing wider service delivery and technology use across related functions. However, the software remains a critical operational tool and will continue to be required as a standalone system to support the specific needs of the in-house Enforcement Agent team. Its functionality is essential for issuing notices, managing enforcement activity, and maintaining accurate customer records, regardless of any broader transformation outcomes. Without this system, the in-house Enforcement Agent team would face significant operational challenges. The absence of a dedicated CRM would hinder the ability to issue statutory notices efficiently, track enforcement actions, and maintain accurate customer records. This could lead to delays, increased risk of non-compliance with legal obligations, and a lack of auditability in enforcement processes. Manual workarounds would likely be required, increasing administrative burden and the potential for errors, ultimately impacting service delivery and recovery performance.