Government collection rates for Council Tax and Business Rates in England show that South Cambridgeshire District Council collected 99.1% of the total amount of Council Tax it was due to receive during the 2020/21 financial year. This makes it the joint top performing Council in the country out of more than 300 tax-collecting authorities.
South Cambridgeshire District Council collects Council Tax from residents before passing on most of it to several frontline local services. These are Cambridgeshire Police, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, Cambridgeshire County Council and Parish / Town Councils. Only around 9% of your Council Tax bill goes towards the District Council’s services.
The league tables show that the overwhelming majority of South Cambridgeshire residents played their part in supporting these vital frontline services financially during the past 12 months.
By 31 March 2021, the District Council had collected £136,960,000 out of an estimated £138,215,000 that it was due to receive.
The District Council also collects Business Rates from local businesses and has scored highly in this field too – showing local businesses have also very much played their part in supporting local services.
The Government league tables show that £52,841,000 in Non Domestic Rates was collected, out of a possible £53,493,000. This is 98.8% of the amount expected to be collected and puts the Council in 23rd place nationally out of approximately 330 Councils.
Income from Non-Domestic rates is shared between Central Government, County Councils, District Councils and Fire Authorities, with the District Councils retaining 40%.
South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Lead Cabinet Member for Finance, Cllr John Williams, said: “A huge thank you to all our local residents and businesses who have showed that financially they have done all they can to support vital frontline services despite the challenges of COVID-19. Because we were able to collect such a high proportion of the Council Tax and Business Rates that was due – it means all local services across the district benefit. We have of course worked sensitively with those who did need help with paying their bills – such as by arranging payment plans to spread those payments. We are always here to help residents who are concerned about their ability to pay in any way we can, and I would encourage those residents or businesses with understandable continuing worries to contact us as soon as possible. Finally, I also want to personally thank each and every one of our dedicated officers who have worked so hard to achieve this accolade.”