Local Authority Forum Winter 2019

Welcome to the latest edition of our briefing for Scottish Local Authorities.

Click here to download a digital pdf

This edition focuses on the Local Authority Forum held in October 2019. Each of our guest speakers provided a range of insights and informative talks which the Local Authority delegates discussed during the workshop discussion session. Please click on the link above to download a pdf to read on your desktop, tablet or mobile.

Local Authority Forum Summer 2019

Welcome to the latest edition of our briefing for Scottish Local Authorities.

Click here to download a digital pdf

This edition focuses on the Local Authority Forum held in May 2019. Each of our guest speakers provided a range of insights and informative talks which the Local Authority delegates discussed during the workshop discussion session. Please click on the link above to download a pdf to read on your desktop, tablet or mobile.”

LA Forum Briefing Winter 2018

Welcome to the latest edition of our briefing for Scottish Local Authorities.

Click here to download a digital pdf

This edition focuses on the Local Authority Forum held in November 2018.

We were delighted that Richard Boddington, Senior Client Manager at Thoughtonomy, Jim McCafferty, Independent Consultant and Chair of Education and Membership at the Institute of Revenues Rating & Valuation and Damian Bray, Collection Team Leader, Fife Council could join us on the day.

Each of our guest speakers provided a range of insights and informative talks which the Local Authority delegates discussed during the workshop discussion session.

Please click on the link above to download a pdf to read on your desktop, tablet or mobile

Local Authority Forum Winter 2017

Welcome to the latest edition of our briefing for Scottish Local Authorities.

Click here to download a digital pdf

This edition focuses on the Local Authority Forum held in November 2017.

We were delighted that Mark Ranson and Steven Wright from Armstrong Watson, Chartered Accountants, Business and Financial Advisers; David McKenzie, Co-founder of Occutrace and Cheryl Hynd from the City of Edinburgh Council could join us on the day.

Each of the guest speakers provided a range of insights and informative talks which the Local Authority delegates discussed during the workshop discussion session.

Issues covered during the sessions and featured in this edition included

Click on the links above to download a pdf to read on your desktop, tablet or mobile

Walker Love Local Authority Forum

Local Authority Briefing Summer 2017

This edition focuses on the Local Authority Forum which was held at the end of May 2017.

Click here to download a digital pdf

We were delighted to be joined by Neale Tosh and Adam McCabe from Brodies, Fergus Walker from Argyll & Bute Council and Alex Reid from the Accountant in Bankruptcy.

Each of the guest speakers provided a range of insights and informative talks which the Local Authority delegates discussed during the workshop discussion session.

Issues discussed at the Forum and featured in this edition include:

  • Update on the proposed changes to the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973
  • The recent AiB consultation on Diligence, trends in bankruptcy and a guest article from Fiona Wilson, DAS team leader, AiB which covers the AiB’s engagement strategy.
  • Argyll & Bute Council’s strategy to tackle the housing shortage in the area
  • Walker Love’s new west coast diligence centre
  • LA Forum – delegates views on the impact of the increase in Council Tax charges

Click here to download an interactive pdf to read on your PC, tablet or mobile.

Local Authority Briefing Autumn-Winter 16/17

Welcome to the latest edition of our briefing for Scottish Local Authorities.

Click here to download a digital pdf

This edition focuses on the Local Authority Forum held in November 2016.

We were delighted that Jim McCafferty, Immediate Past President of the IRRV, Ross Nicol, Partner, McLay Murray & Spens and Kelly Quigley, AIB Head of DAS and Trust Deeds, could join us on the day.

Each of the guest speakers provided a range of insights and informative talks which the Local Authority delegates discussed during the workshop discussion session.

Issues covered during the sessions included the challenges faced by Local Authorities in delivering local services, the impact of the GDPR (the replacement for the Data Protection Act 1998) which will come into force in May 2018, and the current DAS caseload and the improvements to the scheme that are in the pipeline.

Click on the links below to download a pdf to read on your desktop, tablet or mobile

 

Local Authority Briefing Summer/Autumn 2016

Walker Love Local Authority Briefing

Welcome to the latest edition of our briefing for Scottish Local Authorities.

Click here to download a copy

Focusing on the Local Authority Forum held in June 2016, we were delighted that Yvonne MacDermid, Money Advice Scotland, Gary Weir, Glasgow City Council and Carol Kirk from the Accountant in Bankruptcy could join us on the day.

Each of  guest presenters delivered a very informative presentation with a  range of insights and discussion points, including Treating Vulnerable Clients Fairly, the new Bankruptcy legislation and the experiences so far, and improving collection rate performance and sharing best practice.

Click on any of the links below to download a pdf to read on your desktop, tablet device or mobile.

Data Protection: Know the facts
MAS: Treating vulnerable clients fairly – what needs to be done?
New legisaltion in Scotland and what’s on the AIB’s agenda 2016/17?
Working in partnership with Walker Love: Glasgow City Council case study

Find and collecting from ex-UK debtors

When a debtor leaves the country it is not necessarily the end of the debt collection trail.

Many credit managers within the public sector are now reviewing their files for outstanding council tax and national non domestic rates arrears, and even other sundry debts, where the debtor has fled to another European country. Until very recently, it was common practice to write-off such debts as uncollectable.

However, things are changing and public bodies are beginning to instruct members of the Connexx network to trace debtors and collect all outstanding balances. This is one area where the debtor believes the old saying – out of sight, out of mind. It is an incorrect assumption, as the debt can now follow them all over Europe.

If you have debts which have been written off due to debtors moving to another country with the European Union, get in touch with us and we will look at the various options open to you and how we can use local knowledge and intelligence based tracing systems in a range of countries including: Belgium/Luxembourg, Czech Republic, England & Wales, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Slovakia, Poland, Portugal and The Netherlands, to help you trace and collect your outstanding debt.

Connexx’s guiding principle is to facilitate efficient cross-border collections, by building a network of respected and experienced debt recovery experts from the judicial officer and legal sectors.

New Financial Health Service launched

A new Financial Health Service offering a one-stop-shop for money advice services was launched by Business Minister Fergus Ewing on December 3rd.

Scotland’s Financial Health Service website provides links to a range of organisations offering information and advice on debt, managing money, housing, homelessness and ethical lending.

A key part of the new website is a Financial Education module which aims to help people to manage their money to stop any future problems. The website also allows users to search for their local credit unions and find out about the products offered by them, and to search for approved money advisers.

There are also advice areas covering the debt arrangement scheme (DAS), trust deeds, bankruptcy and debt management plans, as well as useful links to budgeting and saving tools, benefits calculators and other advisory agencies such as Age Scotland, Citizens Advice and the National Debt Line.

Fergus Ewing commented at the launch, “It is important that we take action to help those people in Scotland who are struggling under the burden of debt. We have developed Scotland’s Financial Health Service because we must ensure that people who need to access debt and budgeting advice, do so easily with credible sources”.

Local Authority Forum October 2014

What’s been the impact of Welfare Reform in Scotland and what effects have we still to see?

How can Local Authorities use improved management information, customer profiling data and collection performance intelligence to improve recoveries?

What are the current trends in commercial insolvencies, forthcoming changes in the law – Bankruptcy and Debt Advice Bill (Scotland) – and the recent judgements that local authorities should be aware of?

These are among the questions and issues that delegates at Walker Love’s Local Authority Forum will debate at the Hilton Hotel Dunblane Hydro on 29th October 2014.

The speakers will include:

  • David Walker, Managing Partner, Walker Love
  • Peter Meehan, Local Authority Benefit and Taxation Consultant
  • John McNeill, Director Business Restructure, BDO
  • Chris Bell, Walker Love
  • Andy Fraser, Walker Love

With further roundtable discussion sessions chaired by Dorothy Lowe and James Walker of Walker Love, the Forum provides Local Authority revenues and collections teams from across Scotland’s 32 LAs an opportunity to discuss the current issues they are facing. To hear from other authorities on how they are tackling the challenges of Welfare Reform and a reducing local budget and to share opinions and best practice on developing future strategies to improve collections performance.

If you would like more information or if you would like to attend, please get in touch with Chris Bell or Dorothy Lowe, Walker Love in the first instance.