Electors putting extra cost on council tax

Rother council has recently sent out the forms. But based on previous years, officers know one voter in four will not return the completed form on time.

Voters who fail to make a return risk their credit rating and their ability to open bank accounts or obtain mortgages, the authority warns.

Following the success of the telephone registration service introduced by Rother two years ago, voters can now also register by internet provided they do not need to make any changes to their personal details pre-printed on the forms.

By visiting the council's website at www.registerbyinternet. com/rother, voters can enter the unique code on their form and follow on screen instructions to complete their return. Rother says it may be necessary for voters to type this address into their web browser if the link does not work.

"The law requires that householders respond to the registration forms in some manner, that is, by post, telephone or Internet.

"However each year approximately 25% of householders in Rother do not respond to the first form. This prompts us to send reminders at additional expense to the council taxpayer. Even after the reminders are sent we are left with about 10% of households who do not respond.

"Those households that do not respond could not only lose their right to vote but could find that their credit ratings are adversely impacted if they are either removed from the register of electors or do not appear on it at all. This affects people's ability to open bank accounts, obtain mortgages, loans and even mobile phones.

"The introduction of the new Electoral Administration Act earlier this year now makes it a requirement for the council to visit, at least once, all properties that have not responded to the reminder. These visits will take place in the six-week period beginning in the middle of October to the end of November. These personal visits are costly and time consuming and will impact further on Council Tax levels."

Rother chief executive Derek Stevens said: "I would ask all residents for their support with this year's canvass and to respond to the first form as soon as possible. The council would like to keep any additional costs arising from our need to send staff to visit all properties where no form is received, to the absolute minimum. Any additional costs have to be met from the Council Tax so returning your form earlier or using the telephone or internet services does actually save us all some money."