No one likes paying Council tax, but we’ve recently heard from Cllr Hookway (Friends of Rochford), that he’s been contacted by a resident who has been allegedly threatened with court action because the council will no longer accept payment of council tax by cash. This may seem trivial to some. but there are people in society who don’t have bank accounts, credit cards etc
Councillor Hookway makes a very good point that when we all received our council tax bills this year, on the reverse it quite clearly states the methods by which payment will be accepted, including cash.
The ‘in person’ method is the one that is causing distress for residents. Overnight a decision was made by the council to withdraw this method of payment. No consultation, no discussion just an ‘off the cuff’ decision made by ???
We’ve noticed there isn’t any statement on this bill saying that ‘the council reserves the right to remove the method in which payments will be accepted’Â
So residents are put through unnecessary stress due to the council’s inability to plan. We will update this post when there are further developments on this, what only can be described as a debacle.
Dose this person have a bank account? It would be a piece of bad pr for the council if this person, and others of course, were to pay by cheque. On the basis that you can write a cheque on anything you like, find a most awkward shaped object such a piece of old fence panel and write a cheque on that. Deposit it in the council offices and wait for the nasty letter!