89,950 people behind with council tax

Jan 8 2009 by William Green, The Journal

Sympathetic

NORTHUMBERLAND’S new unitary authority will look sensitively upon families who are struggling to pay council tax.

Jeff Reid, leader of the county council, promised it would take a “sympathetic” line when it begins collecting the tax from April.

But he stressed bills still had to be paid and expressed hope that any reduction in council tax revenue would only amount to 1%-2%, with collection rates remaining above 90%, although it would still amount to millions of pounds.

“As unemployment rises and money gets tighter, people find it harder to pay their bills.

“I am more worried about the wider economy and people losing their jobs.

“The Government has mismanaged it so badly that people are going to find it hard to pay their bills, let alone the council tax,” said the Liberal Democrat.

He also said cuts in jobs involved in collecting council tax were always going to happen under the switch from district and county councils to a single unitary authority.

Blyth Valley council leader Dave Stephens has raised concerns about the impact of such cuts as more people struggle to pay amid the economic downturn.