10 October 2006

VOA Partners with Local Authorities to Improve Customer Experience - Press Release

Better council tax revenue forecasts and improved experiences for the bill paying customer are some of the advantages local authorities can get through closer partnership working with the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).

The VOA is at this year’s IRRV conference, drawing attention to the benefits of working more closely with local authorities to provide quicker valuations for new residential dwellings. This can help them issue a timely, accurate bill, avoiding the need for backdated payments. In this way council taxpayers moving into a newly built home have the assurance of knowing exactly what they will pay within days of commencing their occupancy.

The VOA is also getting ahead of the game by working with developers to get information on new homes during the construction phase. The VOA can inform the developer and the local authority of likely bandings when developments are nearing completion. Homebuyers can then make decisions on purchase knowing how much council tax they are likely to pay. As soon as building work has finished, the banding can be formalised and notified to any new occupiers.

The majority of council taxpayers who have a question about council tax call the billing authority first, so there is real advantage in the partnership, not only in helping ensure customer satisfaction, but also by reducing the amount of time staff spend dealing with council tax issues.

Neath-Port Talbot, Sheffield and Winchester councils have all been quick to see the advantages of closer partnership working. Andy Dolling, Assistant Head of Finance at Sheffield City Council said:

“Knowing what the bandings are likely to be on properties before they are built means that we can both forecast income from council tax with more certainty and present our customers with an accurate bill, avoiding the need for potentially large backdated payments. The VOA’s Sheffield office notifies us on a twice-weekly basis about new bandings, which enables cases to be dealt with more effectively and cuts out unnecessary delay in issuing a bill. The more regular, smaller batches of information have also proved easier to deal with.”

Commenting on the early successes of the initiative, VOA Chief Executive, Andrew Hudson, said:

“I kicked the initiative off by writing to all chief executives of billing authorities back in July. But the success we have seen will not be achieved by relying on warm words at chief executive level. So staff in our offices are contacting their opposite numbers in local authorities - often building on already good relations - to discuss the approach in more detail and to agree how it can best work in their area. I am confident that, with close partnerships between local authorities and the VOA, we will be able to provide jointly the level of service that our shared customers expect.”

- Ends -

Notes for editors:

1. The Valuation Office Agency is an Executive Agency of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. It is responsible for valuing domestic properties for council tax purposes in England and Wales; the rating assessments of all business property in England and Wales; valuations of land and property for Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax; and Right to Buy determinations in England, Wales and Scotland. It also carries out valuations for other government departments and some local authorities. The Valuation Office Agency has a national network of 80 offices providing service and assistance at a local level.

2. The Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation Annual Conference takes place this year between the 10 - 13 October at the Hilton Metropole Hotel in Brighton.

About the Valuation Office Agency

The Valuation Office Agency is an Executive Agency of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. It is responsible for valuing domestic properties for council tax purposes in England and Wales; the rating assessments of all business property in England and Wales; valuations of land and property for Capital Gains Tax and Inheritance Tax; and Right to Buy determinations in England, Wales and Scotland. It also carries out valuations for other government departments and some local authorities. The Valuation Office Agency has around 5500 employees and a national network of 80 offices providing service and assistance at a local level.

Further information can be found on the website at www.voa.gov.uk

Media enquiries: