City tax collection is most improved

Aug 14 2007 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

LIVERPOOL City Council was the most improved in the region for collecting council tax in the last financial year.

Figures compiled by the GMB union show Liverpool officials failed to collect £4.9m owed from taxpayers in 2006/07, marking an improvement of £937,000 on the previous year.

But Wirral Council was the second worst performing in the North West by failing to pick up £4m, which represented a £1.3m increase compared to 2005/06.

Last night officials at both councils said they were committed to making sure as much tax as possible was connected.

Officials at the GMB said they made no apology for publishing the figures as collectively across the NW the problem had got considerably worse from year to year with the 45 councils missing out on £91.5m last year, up from £84m the year before.

Sefton was the fourth best improver, failing to collect £3.6m, around £143,000 less than the previous year.

Malcolm Flanagan, Wirral’s head of benefits, revenues and customer services, said: “Our collection rate in 06/07 was affected because we changed to an integrated benefits and revenue computer system in December, 2006. This enables us to bill council tax and award benefits more quickly.

“By the first quarter of the new financial year (2007/08) we were back at our previous high standard for benefits processing and council tax collection.”

Cllr Keith Turner, executive member for resources at Liverpool, said: “We’re working really hard to improve our collection rate and I am delighted this has been reflected in an improvement over the last 12 months.

“The success is a result of a wide range of initiatives such as encouraging people to sign up for direct debit and offering a discount to people who pay promptly.

“We also have a very pro-active approach to making sure that people who miss payments for whatever reason don’t get into a situation where the debt builds up, and we work with them to get them back on track.”

He said the council was “absolutely committed to improving” as every penny collected goes on services.

Giovanna Holt, GMB senior organiser, said: “GMB has been criticised in recent years for publicising the inefficiency of council tax collection but I make no apologies for that.

“With over £760m uncollected council tax nationally in the last year alone and more than half of councils getting worse at it, this is a serious issue.”

OPINION: PAGE 10

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