Town council writes off bad debts

Newbury councillors decide it is not cost effective to pursue unpaid debts for hire of town hall

NEWBURY Town Council has agreed to write off two bad debts totalling £370.

At a recent policy and resources committee meeting town councillors agreed that it would not be cost effective to pursue debts owed by The Prince's Trust and the Newbury Retail Association (NRA).

The Prince's Trust had owed £50 from the hire of the town hall chamber in July 2010 for an awards ceremony, while the NRA owed the council £320 from the hire of the chamber for NRA meetings between March 2008 and May 2009.

Town council officers said that despite several phone calls and letters, neither debt had been paid off, with The Prince's Trust not having a budget to pay the cost having assumed that the room would be free.

Officers also said that despite some money being received from an individual member of the retail association to reduce the debt a while ago, they said the NRA's lack of funds and the age of the debt meant it would not be cost effective to take the matter further.

Subsequently, town councillors agreed to write off the debts.