Local authorities providing greater financial support services

29 Jun 09
Welsh councils are offering residents more financial support services than ever, despite pressure on council tax collection and decreasing revenue from other sources
Welsh councils are offering residents more financial support services than ever, despite pressure on council tax collection and decreasing revenue from other sources.

For 2008/09, the average collection rate fell by just 0.2% – but the Welsh Local Government Association said it would ‘remain under pressure over the next year’.

The release of the figures came as the Assembly Government published a good practice guide for council tax collection during a recession, together with the WLGA, Citizens Advice and the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation.

Social Justice and Local Government Minister Brian Gibbons said: ‘Local authorities face a difficult balancing act as they try to maintain the amount that they collect in council tax from a financially poorer society. We must provide effective debt advice and ensure that our methods of collecting debts are sound.’

Gibbons said that more people were now eligible to claim council tax and housing benefits and authorities had a good record of encouraging take-up. He said an extra £1m of funding had been provided to support this.

The WLGA annual conference, ‘Public services steering into a recession’, took place on June 25, ahead of the publication of its comprehensive report on the impact of the recession and what local authorities can do to tackle problems.

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