access to council tax information
Access to Council tax info.
I am trying to find out how other EPO's are allowed to have access to the local authorities council tax system's
Despite receiving 6 monthly reports from the 3 council's I cover as part of the Somerset West Private Sector Housing Partnership I am being denied access to the systems as a read only capacity. I am told that due to Data Protection I am not previledged to this info. The reports i get do not always have any correspondence addresses included in the information.
Can other EPO's inform me how they get on and what else I can do to gain this valuable information.
my contact details are nick.jobson@sedgemoor.gov.uk or direct line 01278 435289
Nick Jobson AEPO.
Access to CT info
Hi Nick
We're having the other problem at the moment; we have read only access to the CT system, but reports are very sporadic at the moment. We argued for access on the basis that we were using CT staff's time with every query we had when trying to trace owners. As they are so short-staffed they recognised the benefit to them. We provided them with the relevant extract from the legislation to show why we should be able to access the info.
Karen
Cheshire East
Controls on access
I am currently preparing a document on data protection issues in relation to access to council tax data. I am keen to know if any controls or procedures have been put in place to guide, or control, your access (or that of any other member who has access to council tax data). For example, have you been required to sign or read any document that specifies the purposes for which you may use the data or reminds you of basic data protection principles? Or is the set of data to which you have access limited in any way?
Please can anyone with experience of the above please contact me by replying to this post or by sending an email here.
Your responses will be important. Thanks in advance.
David Gibbens (EHN Policy and Support)
access to CT record
Hi,
our team are all allowed access to the CT system, it is read only but we can see everything we need to such as contact addresses and linked accounts. We had to sign an authorisation document which was also signed by the council tax manager which agreed that we would only use it for the purposes of our job.
it states why we need to access the information, that we agree that we will not access financial info and we will not pass it on to third parties. It also says that failure to adhrere to the conditions can lead to disiciplinary actions.
We use the system on a daily basis and it the first port of call for tracing empty property owners.
Laura - Bradford Council
Until a year ago I did not
Until a year ago I did not have direct access to the Council Tax information system, because the relevant head of service had not felt comfortable with that. So I had to rely on a combination of monthly reports and phoning Council Tax staff. Then a change of Council Tax personnel resulted in the new head of service readily agreeing to direct access, which has been enormously beneficial to me and has saved Council Tax staff's time.
To answer David's question, no I have not been asked to sign or read any kind of data protection document, nor has my access been restricted (other than being read-only). This means that I can see information which strictly goes beyond what is permitted by the Local Government Act 2003 section 85. For example I can see the extent of any Council Tax arrears, which might result in an enforced sale.
Mansfield allows access
At Mansfield our Council Tax Dept use Northgate software.
As EPO I have read only access to part of the system after much persuading and many arguments put forward to the C/tax hierarchy with benefits etc; mostly based on time resources for their staff and me assisting by providing information back to the department from my own records. My post was created in September 2009 and beforehand there was no provision or department specifically for Empty Property work. Initial requests for C/tax access were based on the wording….
'This information is required to allow the Council to carry out its functions under parts 1-4 of the Housing Act 2004”
After approx 2 months of negotiation it was decided that I could access the system directly. I not able to access details to the Housing Benefit part of the software relating to individuals but CAN access personal details like bank info relating to payments; as its part of the main system with the owners details. As far as I’m aware, debt recovery also have access to C/tax details for their work.
At no point have I been requested to complete ADDITIONAL data protection paperwork to gain access, but in general was reminded of MDC’s data protection policy.
Paul Wilkinson, Empty Property Officer, Mansfield
Portsmouth work closely with Council Tax
I never give this information out to third parties and use other sources of information (such as register of electors and land registry) to investigate what is happening to the property. I was not asked to read or sign anything when they signed me up.
I would say that I have a good working relationship with CT and in particular the debt recovery department (as often there problem cases are mine as well.) That means that if something does not seem right to me I have contact with bailiffs etc who are chasing the owners and can give me a further insite into what is happening.
Lauren Bellamy, Empty Property Officer, Portsmouth
David Gibbens (EHN Policy and Support)
Council Tax Information
Hi Nick,
Whilst I do not have direct access to the Council Tax Data, I do receive their co-operation on an email basis for any specific properties I am dealing with. I understand that this information is provided on the basis that it is for potential enforcement purposes, service of statutory notices, CPOs etc. In practice, this works quite well as often I can provide up to date information back to the Council Tax section to update their own records.
Hope this helps
Ian
Help needed in using the Capita Academy CT system
Hi All
Rochdale MBC have started using the Capita software, and so we are hoping someone out there who is alos using it can share their SQL report with us so that we interrogate our system to identify empty homes. you know the report, address, name of liable person, 03 exemption or discount, date disc or exemp applied.
If there is anyone out that that might share their sql script with us we'd really appreciate it.
Any queires etc or possible offers of help its gonna be easier to call me on 07714458049
Regards
Darryl Lawrence
Rochdale Housing Initiaitive.
Council Tax Information
Hi all,
Here in St Helens we now have direct access to our Council Tax Data. It is read only and there are some bits of more personal information that we can't see, but in the main it is sufficient for our puposes. We continue to receive regular statistical reports for numers of empties etc and do have an excellent relationship with our colleagues in Council Tax.
As a result of this new access, myself, my line manager and my assistant have all signed separate authorisations to keep the "powers that be" happy.
Ian