CASH-strapped Warrington Borough Council, with debts approaching £2bn and facing a Government inspection into debt management, is taking several months to process council tax payments due to a backlog of work.
Social care payments are also being processed up to six-eight weeks in arrears due to being a “complex and sensitive financial matter.”
A new resident moving into Warrington from Manchester contacted Warrington Worldwide expressing surprise at the lengthy delay to set up and pay his council tax after hearing about the council’s level of debt.
After contacting the council to arrange payment after moving into his new property, he was told there was a backlog of up to four to five months and to “not to worry” and to just wait for the bill to arrive.
Warrington Worldwide is also aware of delays in paying social care bills, despite requests to make payments.
A Warrington Borough Council spokesperson said: “We are continuing to improve the Council Tax payments backlog, which continues to reduce each month. Current turnaround times for Council Tax payments is around three months, and we will prioritise those in most need of support.
“This backlog has accumulated over the last 12-18 months as the Council’s Local Taxation team has had to process a significant amount of additional energy and cost of living grant schemes.
“Any other payments that you owe the council, which are called sundry debts, are monitored on a monthly basis, with debt levels and write offs reported to the Council’s Audit & Corporate Governance Committee on a bi-annual basis.
“Charging for and processing social care payments is a complex and sensitive financial matter. It’s important to note we will always bill 6-8 weeks in arrears of the care being received, to allow time for the individual’s care package details to be received and processed, which is standard procedure. Once packages are established invoices are issued without delay.”
Earlier this month Local Government Inister, Simon Hoare MP, confirmed that the Labour-run Council is currently the most indebted unitary authority in England and will be one of several to undergo a Best Value Inspection.
