Councillors in Woodley have been debating what to do with more than £33,000 in unclaimed damage deposits paid when people book town facilities.
The town council runs hireable venues including the Oakwood Centre, Coronation Hall, Chapel Hall and Woodford Park Leisure Centre.
Finance manager Derren Coe found deposits were not being automatically refunded. As of April 2024 the council has held £33,429 in those deposits.
Councillors were advised to move £30,000 into the council’s general reserves and place £3,429 into an earmarked reserve to cover any future bad debts or historic deposit claims, to be dealt with case by case if they arise. Mr Coe’s report was discussed at the strategy and resources committee.
Councillor Alison Swaddle (Conservative, Loddon Airfield) said: “I’ve booked rooms with other towns and parish councils in Berkshire, and yes, I’ve had to give a deposit against damages, but I’ve been asked to supply my bank details at the same time as the bookings, so that they could return the money, which seems a very simple way to do it. We never did that.”
Town clerk Kevin Murray said: “That’s the change we’ve made. We had it the other way round for a very long period of time whereby the bank details were taken after the booking when someone had been advised they needed to make that claim to have the deposit returned.
“Consequently, some people claimed it back and some didn’t which is how that [£33k] has built up over time.”
Chuckling, cllr Swaddle said: “It sounds like wishful thinking, if we may keep quiet, they won’t get in touch to get the deposit back!”
Mr Murray replied: “Although that wasn’t the intention, that’s the reality of what’s happened, we are changing that, so the onus is on us to make sure that that happens at the point of booking.”
He added that refunds will now be automatic if no damages are found after a booking.
Cllr Kester Charles Bay (Independent, Bulmershe) suggested issuing a public notice with a deadline for claims. Cllr Darren Smith (Conservative, Coronation East), the deputy mayor, warned: “That’s a really bad idea, Kester, you’ll get everybody and his dog trying to claim money, you’ll get a deluge of claims.”
Councillors unanimously voted to incorporate £30,000 into reserves and hold back £3,429 for potential deposit claims at the meeting on Tuesday, January 27.
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
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