Council tax warning letters mistakenly sent

Posted by The Journal on Jun 23, 09 08:58 AM in Councils

Anger has erupted after people in Northumberland were sent warning letters and court summonses by their new super council wrongly stating they had not paid their council tax.

The 'intimidating' letters have been sent out to some householders who had already paid their monthly council tax bills because of problems which have been affecting the unitary authority's revenues and benefits section since April 1.

People who have received them have been angrily complaining to their local councillors, saying the letters threaten court action or that they will have to pay their entire annual bill in one go unless they pay what they 'owe' within seven days.

Yesterday Haltwhistle town councillor, Anne Burns, said: "We had a surgery last week and were getting feedback from upset people about these red letters and threats from the unitary authority about their council tax.

"One man came in very angry and said he has always paid his council tax on the 15th of the month but got a letter threatening that if he didn't pay within seven days he would have to pay the lot in full. They are sending these letters out far too early and intimidating people.

"It is frightening people and the county council needs to sort the whole system out, because they are sitting on mega-bucks up there and this is ridiculous."

Conservative group leader, Peter Jackson, said: "Threatening letters have been sent out saying people have not paid when they have, and it is putting county councillors in a difficult position. Our members have been telling me how upset people are about this.

"People take it very personally when they get threatening letters like this through the post. It is another way in which the unitary council appears overbearing and remote."

Liberal Democrat executive member for corporate resources, Andrew Tebbutt, has sent an email to all county councillors advising them what to do if they are contacted by irate members of the public.

Yesterday the county council appealed to people to be patient over the introduction of a new, unified council tax payment system, which involves bringing together the six former district councils' separate databases.

The council has stressed that no one who has paid will be subject to recovery action.

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