Royal Borough best at council tax collection

2 July 2003

Figures out this week show the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is top of the inner London league tables for council tax collection with an impressive 95.6 percent of taxes collected for the year ended 31 March 2003. With more collected since the year-end the aim is to beat the previous years total, currently standing at 98 percent.

The figures, released by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, reveal an overall increase of £40 million in council taxes collected by England councils this year. The council and non-domestic rates collection results 2002/3 show that English Councils had collected £14.09 billion in council taxes by the end of March 2003.

The Royal Borough has now produced the best collection rates across inner London for the sixth year in a row. Adding to the success, collection of non-domestic rates was also up this year at 99.1 percent, compared to 98.5 percent last year.

With the surveyed Boroughs averaging 91.9 percent, the Council's policies are some of the most effective in London, with the emphasis on keeping records up-to-date and sending reminders out quickly. In the face of a highly transient population the achievement is all the more striking, and an endorsement of the policies the Council has implemented.

Councillor John Cox, Cabinet Member for Finance and Property said: "Once again the Royal Borough has set the standard for council tax collection. Our focus now is to raise standards even further and maintain our position as the most efficient and effective Council in inner London."

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