Friday brief: Council tax chaos in West Northants

Plus: North Northants look at free parking, social media row over Fraser Park development and 'levelling up' update

A Labour councillor has warned of significant problems within West Northamptonshire’s Revenue and Benefits department with council tax payments apparently being left unallocated and some people having their payments returned.

Councillor Wendy Randall says a shortage of staff in the department and problems with the change over of bank accounts from Northampton Borough Council to West Northants has led to chaos within the department.

“I’m hearing these accounts are in a complete mess,” Cllr Randall told NN Journal.

“There are people with detachment of earnings agreements in place to pay arrears but when they make a payment they’re being told the council needs to return it and the resident has to re-send it to another account.

“Money is coming in without the right references and can’t be matched up to the right account. It’s a mess.”

Cllr Randall said staff morale is low and managers appear out of their depth to deal with the problems.

Cllr Randall’s claims were put to the council’s press of…