THU 10TH JUL 2025 8:43:11 AM BST
This site uses cookies, by continuing to use this site you accept the terms of our privacy policy
Home
Construction
Leisure
Manufacturing
Misc.
Primary
Professional
Public
Retail
Tourism
Transport
Site Map
Feed 2.0 Loading...
Success Of Council Payment Strategy
6th October 2011
A new payment strategy introduced by The Highland Council in April of this year is proving a success, with improving acceptance by customers of the new arrangements that are achieving significant efficiency savings.
Since April, cash and cheque payments of Council Tax, rent, non-domestic rates and debtor invoices were no longer accepted at Service Points or the council headquarters Cash Office.
Instead, the public are paying at a network of more than 340 Post Offices, PayPoints and Payzone outlets and since April, 64,400 payments totalling �6.28 million have been made via these outlets.
Councillor Carolyn Wilson, Chairman of The Highland Council's Resources Committee said: "I am delighted with the success of our payment strategy. The change has been handled sensitively and effectively by the Finance Service and the public are thanked for adapting so quickly to the new arrangements.
"Customers welcome the increased convenience of more flexible opening hours and being able to pay at a greater number of locations."
"The new arrangements have also give a boost to small business such as sub post offices who have seen their footfall and turnover increase. Saving the council money and boosting small businesses at the same time in this economic climate has to be good for everyone."
Related Businesses
Related Articles
8/7/2025
Renewable energy firm ENERCON welcomed to Wick Business Park
Wick Business Park has welcomed wind energy technology company ENERCON as the first occupant of one of four new units completed last year. ENERCON specialises in designing, producing, installing and servicing onshore wind turbines and has been operating in the Caithness area since 2013.3/7/2025
Bringing more empty homes back into use
Additional empty homes officers are being recruited to bring more privately owned houses back into use. The new posts are being supported as part of a £2 million investment through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership in 2025-26 which will see staff take a more proactive and targeted approach to tackling local housing issues.2/7/2025
Community-Led Local Development Fund distributes over £900k to support projects in Highland
The Highland Strategic Local Action Group (LAG) met in June 2025 and considered and agreed funding for 28 projects submitted to the Community-Led Local Development fund (CLLD), which makes up part of The Highland Council Community Regeneration Fund (CRF) programme. CRF is an umbrella term used to cover multiple external funding programmes administered by The Highland Council.2/7/2025
Community benefits funding delivers educational resources to Highland schools
Highland Council has provided 12 ‘Talking Tub' resources for use in primary schools across the Highlands, in partnership with Union Technical who deliver community benefits as part of the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme programme. Chair of Highland Council's Education Committee, Councillor John Finlayson, said: "This is a fantastic initiative being rolled out across Highland primary schools which brings innovation and inspiration to early years children.
1/7/2025
Additional bins will help keep popular visitor spots tidy
Visitors will find it easier to dispose of their litter at several popular spots across Highland after the rollout of additional bins. The rollout has been planned to support the tourism season as part of the Council's ongoing commitment to improve and support sustainable tourism in the area.27/6/2025
Accounts Commission commends Highland Council's culture of transformation
Members of the meeting of The Highland Council (26 June 2025) have considered and agreed the Accounts Commission's Best Value report, which was published in April 2025 and highlights organisational improvements across leadership, performance management and community engagement. In April’s report, the Accounts Commission recognised and welcomed significant progress within the organisation since the 2020 Best Value Assurance Report (BVAR) and commended the embedded culture of transformation.27/6/2025
Thurso masterplan and community POD progress update
A new generation of community facilities is being planned for the Highlands. At a meeting of The Highland Council (Thursday 26 June), elected members approved the work to date in progressing the Highland Investment Plan workstreams - masterplan for Thurso and agreed to nominate the current Thurso High School site as the preferred location for the new Thurso Community Point of Delivery (POD).27/6/2025
Highland Housing Challenge partnership makes positive strides
At a meeting of The Highland Council (Thursday 26 June 2025), Members received a progress report on the partnership approach and important successes since declaring a Highland Housing Challenge in November 2023. Since establishing the ambitious Highland Housing Challenge, important successes included: A call for sites delivered 250 sites, with a potential 25,000 housing units which will support delivery against the target of an additional 12,000 houses over the next 10 years.25/6/2025
Highland Council to deliver housing energy efficiency upgrades with ECO funding
The Highland Council will deliver a transformative programme of energy efficiency upgrades across Council housing supported by a £9.2 million Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding proposal secured by Union Technical. The funding proposal will deliver approximately 1,000 individual energy efficiency measures to Council owned properties across the Highlands.18/6/2025
Look to See - a Refugee Week exhibition by young people
As part of the Highland Council's celebration of Refugee Week - 16 to 22 June - we are delighted to announce that a sharing of photographs, taken by separated young people seeking asylum living within the Highlands, is to be shown at Eden Court Arts Centre, Inverness. Look to See, which ties in with the theme for this year’s Refugee Week - Community as a Superpower - emerges out of a collaboration between multiple agencies working alongside separated young people seeking asylum, embodying the importance of community and connection, when looking to support all young people in the Highlands.Our Social Media
