You might also be interested in
Replies (24)
Please login or register to join the discussion.
The first working together initiative
I was part of the first working together group in the North East and in very short order I came to the conclusion that attending these meetings was a total and utter waste of time. The corpse that was Working Together should have be laid to rest years ago but HMRC refused to give it a decent burial as it was needed to be paraded every now and again to help legitimize their "obligation to consult". What was left has corrupted beyond recognition and such should be laid to rest with the minimum of fuss, RIP.
Pointless
I went to a couple of local ones when they first started and quickly realised they were just wasting everyone's time. The HMRC reps seemed genuine enough but it was clear that they had no real power and were just reporting back up the chain, no doubt to be completely ignored.
I found them very similar to governer's meetings at my local school, where the same thing happened - lots of smiley faces around the table, but at the end of the day, those in power would do what they want anyway having gone through the motion of pretend consultation.
Considering the fiasco of the IR35 working group, that came up with the pathetic fiasco of the risk assessment test, that only lasted a couple of years to be quickly scrapped - these working together initiatives are just wasting everyone's time.
At the end of the day the politicians and HMRC will do what they want. It will inevitably be a failure. The personnel involved will have moved on (no doubt with promotion). New people will change it all, solving some issues and causing some new ones, and so the cycle relentless repeats itself.
I have a feeling
in my water that agent strategy (even with all the money spent on it) will go the same way. I can't seem to reconcile "agent strategy" with "no more tax returns".
OK: but not after the first bite!
It started off well, or seemingly.
However it has been a joke for some time now.
Our local group's delegated WT rep, a hugely experienced now mainly retired FCA, reports each to each group meeting and has just about given up..............
All I want from HMRevenue & Customs
is to answer the phone , answer my letters and act in some semblance of that of an Organ of the State.
Total waste of time
These working groups and consultation groups are nothing more than cosmetic. I have had the same experience as Ken Howard. If the present experience is anything to go by the day that HMRC start listening will be the day that the world comes to an end. I am detecting an arrogance in their attitude which I have never encountered before and that is putting it mildly. We have no option but to deal with them but it is no longer a pleasant experience. As for accessing more junior levels of HMRC staff that can only turn out to be a nightmare. The so called senior members appear to know precious little - this is a disaster waiting to happen.
i must commend my colleagues
I thought all the comments about the "Working Together" were in the circumstances, exceedingly polite.
Testicles, and Horse Manure, do at least have some practical use.
Regional Meetings
So 43,000 were invited to these meetings. That is a huge number of representatives. I was not invited. Is there anyone on AccountingWeb who was and if so was it because they were a delegate for WT before?
No, not invited
So 43,000 were invited to these meetings. That is a huge number of representatives. I was not invited. Is there anyone on AccountingWeb who was and if so was it because they were a delegate for WT before?
It's a little harsh to criticise poor attendance when it seems very few invitations were sent out. If it was only 4,300, that's a very poor number. ALL known agents should have been informed and invited if they actually want a half decent attendance. I wonder what criteria came up with the 4,300 who got the invite?
Invited
I am a WT rep and was invited and did find the session very interesting andI do hope it points HMRC in the right direction as to what we want.
WT is very frustrating but it is up to us as agents to continue to have meetings, ad face to face meetings, with HMRC to put forward our views and problems. If we allow WT to wither and die, HMRC will railroad much more onto us than they already do. Lets face it the tax profession seems quite complacent about how HMRC foist legislation and working practices onto us. At the end of the day, we are the ones who have to make it work.
I represent a professional body but locally, and nationally, I have had very very litte interaction with the association. At no time has anyone approached me from another practice, or the association to raise a point. I send them minutes and more often than not I don't even get an acknowledgement.
Consequently I feel that I am representing our practise, but as I face the day to day problems we all encounter with HMRC, and they are never ending, I like to feel that I am representing all taxation professionals, like me, who are in the front line.
HMRC will do
what they want when they want. All WT does is voice our concerns so that HMRC can find ways of skipping round doing what they should be doing (acting on our concerns).
So if we don't interact with them, they've only got themselves to blame when it all goes pear shaped (and it will).
the latest Briefing on "HMRC
the latest Briefing on "HMRC's plan on working with tax agents" is the most patronising document I have read in a long time!
Agent Account Manager
As soon as the AAM was introduced in the WT and recently withdrawn the death of the WT is a matter of time. I go to the meeting for the NW London group and HMRC will not even provide car parking facility for the agents.
Have I got this right - AAM withdrawn?
As soon as the AAM was introduced in the WT and recently withdrawn the death of the WT is a matter of time. I go to the meeting for the NW London group and HMRC will not even provide car parking facility for the agents.
According to HMRC website, the facility still exists.
Working together
I went to the WTs in Glasgow for several years.
In many ways they were similar to the PAC. Many accountants attending in order to install loopholes which they could later sell to their clients.The largest number of attendees in the Glasgow WTs came from the one firm of acccountants which processed the accounts for the majority of crime families in Glasgow. Do not tell me they were there to assist HMRC.
Regional Meetings
I also represent a professional body but locally, and nationally, I have had very very litte interaction with the association. At no time has anyone approached me from another practice, or the association to raise a point
Jonsa. Like you, I was a representative for many years, and did not receive an invite.