LOCAL Government Minister John Healey today praised councils on improving the amount of Council Tax collected for the eighth successive year.

Latest figures show the tax collection rate in England last year was 97.1%, up 0.2% on 2006-07 and 0.7% up on five years ago.

In Ellesmere Port & Neston it was a slightly different story.

In 2006-7, the borough council collected 96.7% of £30,968,000 owed in tax, compared to 97.4% of the £32,451,000 due last year. This is 0.2% down.

And the council was down by the same figure when it came to non-domsetic rates.

In 2006-07 it collected 99.3% of the £32,508,000 due against 99.1% of £34,070,000 due last year.

John Healey said: “Councils have continued to improve their Council Tax collection rates.

“Collection of Council Tax continues beyond the year in which it is due, and I urge councils not to let up the pressure, but to continue their good work on chasing arrears and make further improvements to their collection rates.

“It is only fair on other Council Tax payers that everyone pays what they owe.

“These collection rates, combined with the first ever three-year settlement giving every council an increase in funding, help put local Government in a strong financial position.

“Councils should be spending taxes as efficiently as they collect them.”

Mr Healey also announced that councils were on track to make efficiency savings of £3.2bn over the past four years, the equivalent of £123 off the average Band D Council Tax bill – and £1bn more than the efficiency target they were set.

But he also called on councils to use this money as effectively and efficiently as possible, keeping up with public demands for value for money from their local public services.

Simon Carhart, the borough council’s local taxation manager, said: “It is disappointing that our collection rate is slightly down on last year.

“However, we have stayed above the national average of 97.1%.

“No council in West Cheshire has shown an improvement in Council Tax collection over the last year.”

He added: “Since April 1 over £157,000 of the 2007/2008 arrears has already been recovered.

“The borough council constantly strives to improve collection and all avenues of recovery are being explored.

“I would urge anyone who is having difficulty paying their Council Tax to contact us immediately to apply for Council Tax Benefit or other possible reductions and to get help or advice regarding their payments.”