Pioneering council partnership nets prestigious national award

Rugby Borough Council joined forces with Payment Plan to launch the flexible payment plans for residents who owe the council money - whether council tax, loans, housing repairs or overpayment of housing benefit.

The partnership, launched in January, removes the barriers which often stop residents from paying a debt.

Payment Plan allows a resident to set up a personal payment plan without the need to speak to a council officer.

The resident can set the terms of the plan, deciding how much to pay, how often and when, so payments can be managed with other financial commitments.

Payments can be as low as £10 a month and, depending on the size of the debt, payment plans can be set up over a five-year period.

Since launching the partnership, the council has put approximately £800,000 of debt on to the Payment Plan platform and has collected - or secured arrangements to pay - around £275,000.

Recently, one resident set up a payment plan on a Sunday afternoon to settle a debt of £13,000. 

The partnership's success led to a nomination for the Excellence in Partnership Working (Enforcement) prize at the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation's (IRRV) Performance Awards 2024.

And at the award ceremony earlier this month at the Telford International Centre, the partnership was named the winner.

Cllr Ish Mistry, deputy leader of Rugby Borough Council and portfolio holder for finance, performance, legal and governance, said: "While we have a legal duty to collect money owed to the council, we understand the pressures on household budgets and want to offer residents a flexible way to manage debt on terms the resident has chosen.

"Our partnership with Payment Plan removes one of the main barriers the council faces when dealing with debts - engagement.

"We understand the difficulties of discussing debt with the council, so Payment Plan offers residents the chance to address the issue without speaking to the council at all.

"And while we always encourage residents who owe money to the council to contact us to discuss the payment options available, we're constantly looking for innovative ways to make paying council debt easier for residents."

The IRRV promotes best practice in the revenues, rating and valuations sector, offering a range of nationally recognised qualifications and training courses.

All debt put on the Payment Plan platform remains a debt to the council rather than Payment Plan.

Currently, residents need to receive an email invite from Payment Plan to use the platform, but the council intends to expand access to the platform in the new year.

Cllr Jerry Roodhouse, Rugby Borough Council's Liberal Democrat group spokesperson for finance and performance, said: "As a council, we need to find ways of supporting residents during difficult times and partnership working is one way of doing this.

"We will monitor the progress of this work."

For more information on council tax and benefits, visit www.rugby.gov.uk/CTandBenefits