A COUNCIL-RUN bailiff team wearing body cameras will be used to collect debts in Wrexham.

It comes after plans by Wrexham Council to launch its own in-house enforcement service were unanimously approved.

In the last year the authority referred 3,317 cases of unpaid council tax and 84 business rate cases to external enforcement agents, resulting in almost £1.2 million of unpaid revenue being returned to the council.

But council leader Mark Pritchard said he believed the service could be carried out more compassionately by the authority and it would also generate extra money.

He said: “I do believe this is an area that we have to cater for.

“We have to be sympathetic and more thoughtful towards people who have debt.

“If we can make money out of it then why wouldn’t we do it?

“There’s no harm in any authority across Wales trying something out and if it’s successful then (it is) wonderful.”

Council tax currently provides about 20 per cent of the income due to the authority, which supports the delivery of frontline services.

Business rates are collected on behalf of Welsh Government and redistributed to the council as part of its annual financial settlement.

Cllr Pritchard said the enforcement team of two agents and two officers would be used to maximise the amount of money collected.

The initial cost of setting up the service will be £68,000, including £4,000 to be spent on body-worn cameras

It is expected that annual running costs of £231,000 will be offset by an income of £327,000.

In a report Cllr Pritchard added: “The creation of an in-house team would have financial implications for the authority, in the form of set-up costs, although it is expected that the team would become self-financing.

“If the number of cases referred to enforcement agents falls significantly, this could lead to the team running at a deficit, which could place risk on the council.

“It is highlighted that the expectation in year one would be for a small loss/break even, given the transition from wide use of external agents to in-house, but full operating model would be in place prior to the start of year two, at which point it should generate a net income.

“No formal consultation has taken place as yet, but should this proposal be approved officers would look at having conversations with local advice agencies to make them aware of the proposed changes.”

Executive board members voted unanimously in favour of the proposals at their meeting today.

A date has yet to be disclosed for when the service will be set up.