A pensioner has hit out at Shropshire Council bosses for wasting money and resources – after she was sent a council tax bill for just one penny.
Beryl Hayward OBE, 79, received the bill for her former home in David Avenue, Pontesbury, earlier this week. The bill requested payment to be sent by cheque – which would have cost more than the amount requested on the bill.
Miss Hayward, who suffers from MS, sold her house earlier this year to move into Radbrook Nursing Home after a four-month stay in the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and a series of operations.
She has insisted she won’t pay the bill, and Shropshire Council staff have apologised for sending it out.
Miss Hayward, a former magistrate, claims it was the second piece of mail sent to her in error by the council, as just days before she had been sent a letter demanding £10 payment which staff at Shirehall told her to ignore.
She said: “The council has had to undertake some research, pay someone to type it out and then pay for stationery and a stamp. It must have cost them at least £5 each time they sent me a letter.
“They wanted me to pay by cheque which would have cost me more in postage. It seems that’s how the council spends taxpayers’ money and I think it’s a waste.
“I have refused to pay the bill and I told the lady on the phone they can sue me in court for it if they wanted to.”
Phil Weir, revenues manager at Shropshire Council, said: “We wouldn’t pursue a payment like this, which will be down to an administration rounding anomaly when council tax discount awards are recalculated, and the lady does not need to pay the bill.
“We apologise for any inconvenience, and we are looking to add some wording to bills like this which will make it clear the customer does not need to pay if it is below a certain amount.”
By Peter Kitchen