We aim to provide:

Aim 1: To provide a high quality, customer focused service that pays the right benefits, discounts and reliefs to the right people at the right time.

Aim 2: To collect Council Tax, Business Rates and Housing Benefits Overpayment effectively, maximising income to the Council and minimising the customer's level of debt as appropriate.

Aim 3: To provide value for money for customers and taxpayers by focusing our services around customers needs.

Aim 4: To ensure that the service we deliver meets the needs of customers and stakeholders by undertaking regular liaison and consultation.

Aim 5: To reduce fraud and error in the system by increasing the number of customers who understand what is expected from them, and what they can expect from us.

Aim 6: To have well-trained and knowledgeable staff, able to provide and efficient and professional service to the Council and its customers.

Our Targets for the 2012/13 year are:

Assess all new claims within 10 days from receipt of claim form;

Assess 96% of all new claims within 14 days of all information received;

Action all changes within 8 days of notification;

To deal with appeals within 4 weeks of receipt;

To secure 60 cases for which a sanction is obtained.

To collect 98.4% of Council Tax within the year it becomes due;

To collect 98.4% of Business Rates within the year it becomes due;

To increase the % of payers paying by Direct Debit

Our Performance for 2012/13

We aim to work with our partners, including:

Department of Work and Pensions and Job Centre Plus to ensure that information is transferred and used appropriately to the advantage of the customer;

External fraud officers where joint investigations are required in fraud cases;

External agencies who already have close links in our area to ensure that our services are promoted to encourage take-up;

Registered Social Landlords and other Council Service areas to minimise the duplication of effort of our customers in applying for benefits.

If you feel you have received a good service we would be pleased to hear from you. However, if you are not happy with the service you have been provided, please contact Tracey Richards on telephone (01902) 696622 or e-mail mailto:t.richards@asstaffs.gov.uk to discuss any issues you may have. After contacting us if you still feel that your enquiry has not been dealt with appropriately and wish to make a formal complaint, please click on this link Complaints about the Council.