The minister responded, “ Yes, I am.
If Authorities want to work together or with the Inland Revenue and submit
bids to the modernising Government fund for support in doing that, I would
be happy to consider their proposals”.
“One of the reasons for the difficulties
with Council Tax collection has been the break up by the Tories of the
old Regional collection departments into 32 separate authorities.
It has been represented to me that
the call centre approach to rent and council tax arrears is more effective
than the more traditional one which all to often is used as a cruel stick
with which to beat poor people who cannot afford to pay. Most businesses
that are owed money now try to work things out by telephone rather than
rely on Sheriff’s officers.
If North Ayrshire were to give the
lead in transferring from Sheriff’s Officers, to a call centre-based collection
policy, it could have the triple benefit of increasing collection rates
and keeping Council Tax low, as well as prospectively bringing jobs to
North Ayrshire at the Saltcoats call centre.” said Mr Wilson.
Mr McConnell agreed saying, “ We must
target those who can but will not, pay. I intend that we should create
a more sensitive and sophisticated system for collecting council tax. It
must work well for the majority who pay willingly, but target the minority
who avoid paying and treat sensitively those with real financial problems.”
Mr Wilson believes a call centre strategy
based in Saltcoats would meet these criteria and he has written to the
Council urging them to make application to the Scottish Executive for money
from the Modernising Government Fund to make the proposal a reality.
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