A NUMBER of people have been arrested as part of a Liverpool City Council probe into council tax fraud.
Last night the council declined to go into details but said the arrests were made as part of a long-standing investigation.
The issue arose at the council’s executive board after the council’s executive member for children’s services, Paul Clein, raised concerns about landlords pretending someone was living in an empty property in order to get the 25% single person discount.
It is understood that the number of arrests were in the low double figures.
Phil Halsall, chief finance officer, told the meeting: “As part of a long-standing investigation a number of arrests have been made.”
In April the council started to charge 100% council tax on empty properties, but had previously offered a 50% discount for a year with the ability to extend the offer on a discretionary basis.
This was part of ongoing attempts by the council to reduce the number of empty properties in the city.
Last night Local Government Association (LGA) said that according to official government figures, Liverpool had the second highest number of empty homes in the country.
When the data from the Department of Communities and Local Government was compiled, 4% of homes in Liverpool were empty – a total of 8,357.
After the meeting Cllr Clein said: “It’s not something I can prove, we get copies of the new electoral register, and as councillors you live and die by the electoral register.
He said he spotted that the odd address where no-one had been living previously, single occupants were listed.
“It made me suspicious.”
In April the council started to charge 100% council tax on empty properties, but had previously offered a 50% discount for a year with the ability to extend the offer on a discretionary basis.
He said that there had been concerns that people might try to circumvent the system.
“It stands to reason that an unscrupulous landlord might put a name in to get the discount.
“It is right that the council makes sure it gathers in what is due to it.”
A spokesman for the LGA said dealing with empty properties was a problem for many authorities. “This is an issue for councils across the country, which they are taking action against.”
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