Collection Fund

This account reflects the statutory requirement to maintain a separate Collection Fund, which shows the transactions of the Council as a billing authority in relation to National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR) and Council Tax. It illustrates the way in which these have been distributed to precepting authorities and the Council's own General Fund. The introduction to the Business Rate Retention Scheme requires Local Authorities to maintain separate Collection Fund Accounts for Business Rates and Council Tax as follows. The levy of £0.02 on NNDR properties over £70,000 relating to Business Rate Supplement (BRS) collected in respect of Crossrail in London and the levy due is also reflected in this statement:

Collection Fund for the Year Ended 31 March 2021
  Business Rates NNDR3
in thousands of pounds
Business Rate Supplement
in thousands of pounds
Council Tax
in thousands of pounds
Totals
in thousands of pounds
Income:
Council Tax receivable
none none (142,541) (142,541)
Business Rates receivable (44,777) none none (44,777)
Business Rate Supplement (BRS) receivable none (1,198) none (1,198)
Total Income (44,777) (1,198) (142,541) (188,516)
Less Write offs of uncollectable amounts   none none none
Less (incr)/decrease in provision for bad debts 4,403 none 5,997 10,400
Less (incr)/decrease in provision for appeals 835 none none 835
Less Disregarded amounts   none none 0
Distribution of previous years Surplus - MHCLG 841 none none 841
Distribution of previous years Surplus - Bexley 3,236 none 1,128 4,364
Distribution of previous years Surplus - GLA 1,820 none 266 2,086
Total Charges to the Collection Fund 11,135 none 7,391 18,526
Collectable Rates (33,642) (1,198) (135,150) (169,990)
Less Other Charges:
Transitional Protection sums due to (+)/from (-) MHCLG
692 none (1,867) (1,175)
BRS Due to +/from (-) GLA none (183) none (183)
Cost of Collection Allowance 245 6 none 251
Sub-Total council tax and NNDR income 2020/21 (32,705) (1,375) (137,017) (171,097)
Demands, Precepts and Proportionate Shares and Levies:
MHCLG/Central Government
25,361   none 25,361
London Borough of Bexley 23,055   116,140 139,195
Greater London Authority 28,435   27,302 55,737
Business Rate Supplement:
Business Rate Supplement (BRS) Levy due
  1,296   1,296
BRS Admin Costs   79   79
Totals 76,851 1,375 143,442 221,668
Less NNDR 1 and NNDR 3 Reconciliation amounts none none none none
Surplus/Deficit arising during the year 44,146 none 6,425 50,571
Surplus/Deficit brought forward 1 April 2020 (7,408)
none
(880) (3,424)
none
(11,712)
Estimated Surplus/Deficit payable in 2020/21:
Surplus/Deficit arising during the year including paid in year per NNDR3
36,738 (880) 3,001 38,859
Collection Fund Surplus and Deficit 31 March 2021
Collection Fund Surplus/(Deficit) Business Rates NNDR3
in thousands of pounds
Business Rate Supplement
in thousands of pounds
Council Tax
in thousands of pounds
Totals
in thousands of pounds
MHCLG /Central Government 12,244 none none 12,244
London Borough of Bexley 10,749 none 2,461 13,210
Greater London Authority 13,744 none 541 14,285
Surplus (-)/Deficit (+) carried forward 31 March 2021 36,737 none 3,002 39,739
Memorandum Note
Debtors and Prepayments Business Rates
in thousands of pounds
Business Rate Supplement
in thousands of pounds
Council Tax
in thousands of pounds
2020/21
in thousands of pounds
Sums outstanding from Ratepayers (Arrears/Debtors) 7,229 none 33,846 41,075
Prepayments and Overpayments (2,744) none (2,319)
none
(5,063)

Collection Fund - Comparative Information

This account reflects the statutory requirement to maintain a separate Collection Fund, which shows the transactions of the Council as a billing authority in relation to National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR) and Council Tax. It illustrates the way in which these have been distributed to precepting authorities and the Council's own General Fund. The introduction to the Business Rate Retention Scheme requires Local Authorities to maintain separate Collection Fund Accounts for Business Rates and Council Tax as follows for the comparative year 2019/20:

Collection Fund for the Year Ended 31 March 2020
  Business Rates NNDR3
in thousands of pounds
Business Rate Supplement
in thousands of pounds
Council Tax
in thousands of pounds
Totals
in thousands of pounds
Income:
Council Tax receivable
none none (138,685) (138,685)
Business Rates receivable (75,836) none none (75,836)
Business Rate Supplement (BRS) none (2,056) none (2,056)
Total Income (75,836) (2,056) (138,685) (216,577)
Less Write offs of uncollectable amounts 121 none 13 134
Less (incr)/decrease in provision for bad debts (448) none (973) (1,421)
Less (incr)/decrease in provision for appeals (361) none none (361)
Less Disregarded amounts none none none none
Contribution to the Collection Fund Surplus/Deficit 3,996 none 5,979 9,975
Total Charges to the Collection Fund 3,308 none 5,019 8,327
Collectable Rates (72,528) (2,056) (133,666) (208,250)
Less Other Charges:
Transitional Protection sums due from the Authority
432 none none 432
Cost of Collection Allowance 249 none none 249
Sub-Total council tax and NNDR income 2019/20 (71,847) (2,056) (133,666) (207,569)
Demands, Precepts and Proportionate Shares and Levies:
MHCLG/Central Government
17,742 none none 17,742
London Borough of Bexley 34,064 none 111,306 145,370
Greater London Authority 19,161 none 26,263 45,424
Business Rate Supplement:
Business Rate Supplement (BRS) Levy due
none 2,050 none 2,050
BRS Admin Costs none 6 none 6
Totals 70,967 2,056 137,569 210,592
Less NNDR 1 and NNDR 3 Reconciliation amounts        
Surplus/Deficit arising during the year (880) none 3,903 3,023
Surplus/Deficit brought forward 1 April 2019 (6,528) none (7,327) (13,855)
Estimated Surplus/Deficit payable in 2019/20:
Surplus/Deficit arising during the year including paid in year per NNDR3
(7,408) none (3,424) (10,832)
Collection Fund Surplus and Deficit 31 March 2020
Collection Fund Surplus/(Deficit) Business Rates NNDR3
in thousands of pounds
Business Rate Supplement
in thousands of pounds
Council Tax
in thousands of pounds
Totals
in thousands of pounds
MHCLG /Central Government 1,404 none none 1,404
London Borough of Bexley 1,111 none 4,871 5,982
Greater London Authority 1,481 none 1,108 2,589
Surplus (-)/Deficit (+) carried forward 31 March 2020 3,996 none 5,979 9,975

Notes to the Collection Fund

Note 1 - Council Tax

Council Tax income derives from charges raised according to the value of residential properties, which have been classified into 8 Valuation Bands. Individual charges are calculated by estimating the amount of income required to be taken from the Collection Fund in the forthcoming year by the Council and its preceptors (Authorities we collect Council Tax for).

The Council's preceptors are between the London Borough of Bexley and the Greater London Authority. The total Council Tax requirement is then divided by the Council Tax Base.

The Council Tax Base is calculated before the start of the new year by estimating the number of dwellings in each valuation band (adjusted for discounts, where applicable) and converting this into an equivalent number of Band D dwellings.

Council Tax Base calculation
Bands and value ranges Estimated number of properties Multiplier 2019/20 Band D equivalent
in thousands of pounds
2020/21 Band D equivalent
in thousands of pounds
A - Reduced Band A none none none 2
A - up to £40,000 2,643 6/9 1,736 1,771
B - from £40,001 to £52,000 6,921 7/9 5,302 5,428
C - from £52,001 to £68,000 23,745 8/9 20,790 21,136
D - from £68,001 to £88,000 24,142 9/9 23,780 24,284
E - from £88,001 to £120,000 17,526 11/9 21,100 21,450
F - from £120,001 to £160,000 4,592 13/9 6,534 6,664
G - from £160,001 to £352,000 1,603 15/9 2,632 2,661
H - from £40,001 to £52,006 34 18/9 67 75
Subtotal       83,471
Less Allowance for non-collection       (1,252)
Council Tax Base 81,206   81,941 82,219

Note 2 - Preceptors Council Tax

The total Demand on the Collection Fund by the Council and its preceptors
Preceptors 2019/20
in thousands of pounds
2020/21
in thousands of pounds
Greater London Authority 26,263 27,302
London Borough of Bexley 111,306 116,140
Total demand on Collection Fund 137,569 143,442

Note 3 - NNDR Rateable Values

NNDR Rateable Values
Values 2019/20
in thousands of pounds
2020/21
in thousands of pounds
Non-Domestic Rateable Value Gross 192.01m 193.13m
Standard Business Rate 50.4p 51.2p
Small Business Rate 49.1p 49.9p
Business Rates Receivable after reliefs and transition 75.84m 44.78m

* The reduction in Business Rates is reflected in the economic climate during 2020/21 and the Section 31 Discretionary reliefs awarded, this will be offset by Section 31 Grant and is reflected in Note 13 (Business Rate Retention).

Note 4 - Business Rate Supplement (BRS) - Crossrail

The Mayor of London introduced a levy of 2p on non-domestic properties with a rateable value of over £70,000 in London from 1 April 2010, to help pay for Crossrail. Powers were granted to the Greater London Council (GLA) to introduce this under the Business Rates Supplements Act 2009. The Crossrail Business Rate Supplement (BRS) is being collected on behalf of the GLA by the Council along with general business rates (NNDR). Income collected and payments made to the GLA are included in the Collection Fund.