Pendle News Room

Payments can be made via the Council’s website - www.pendle.gov.uk/waystopay, by telephone, and at local PayPoint stores and Post Offices.

By going online customers can set up to pay their council tax and business rates by Direct Debit as well as make payments for services using a debit or credit card.

From October the Council will no longer accept over the counter payments.

Barnoldswick Council Shop will close and Contact Pendle at Number One Market Street in Nelson will no longer take cash or cheques from customers.

Instead customers will be able to make payments using the on-site computers or telephones at Contact Pendle, or they’ll be directed to the nearest PayPoint or Post Office.

Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, Leader of Pendle Council and digital champion, said: “We’ve introduced a number of ways for you to pay your bills which are more flexible and convenient and can be done at a time and place which suit you.

“We recognise that a small number of our customers like to pay their bills in cash.

“Although you’ll no longer be able to do this at a Council shop from October, you’ll still be able to pay with cash at any local PayPoint store or Post Office.

“Just take your bill, which includes your unique account reference number and barcode, to participating retailers in Pendle.

“Their opening hours are later than ours and many may be just around the corner from your house!”

Within a three-mile radius of Nelson town centre there are 54 outlets, at least 11 of which are of walking distance from Contact Pendle.

And within a three-mile radius of Barnoldswick town centre there are 11 outlets, with at least seven within walking distance from the Council Shop in Fernlea Avenue.

The Council’s decision to remove over the counter payments comes as fewer customers pay this way.

Councillor Iqbal said: “Our priority is to protect investment in the services which matter most to our residents and businesses.

“But as a result of less money coming from the Government to help fund our services, our financial position is dire and difficult decisions have to be made.

“Over the next three years we estimate that we must reduce spending by £4m and closing our over the counter payments facilities will help us do that.

“The cost per transaction is significantly more for staffing a counter. Every transaction with a cashier is £2.60 compared with 2p to make payments online.”

Leanne Burrows, Service Delivery Manager for Liberata which runs customer services on behalf of the Council, explained that there is help for anyone who’d like to make online payments but are unsure of how to do it.

She said: “At Contact Pendle in Nelson we currently have two computers for customers to access our online services and staff who can help.

“Customers can also use our dedicated telephones to make payments via the Automated Telephone Payment Line.

“And if anyone wants to apply for Housing Benefit or Council tax Support they can use our computers to do that too.”

Ways to pay your Council bills:

• To set up a Direct Debit online or make an online payment visit www.pendle.gov.uk/doitonline
• Payments for Council Tax, Housing Rents, Business Rates, Benefits overpayments and Garden Waste subscriptions can be done online – www.pendle.gov.uk/doitonline or via the Council’s Automated Telephone Payment Line call 0845 3723334 which is available 24 hours a day.
• To find your nearest PayPoint or Post Office go to www.allpay.net/outlets

More information is available at www.pendle.gov.uk/waystopay