News from Peterborough City Council

Local people have paid more than £3.7 million to Peterborough City Council using electronic payment methods over the last year.

 

More than 34,000 payments have been made by residents in the last 12 months. This is an increase of 75 per cent on the previous year. The payments that have been made include council tax, penalty charge notices, sundry debts, housing benefit overpayments, sport facility bookings, theatre ticket purchases and business rates.

 

The facility allows customers to make payments by using their debit card, for some services a credit card, 24 hours a day, seven days a week via the website https://www.epaycapita.com/peterborough/index.jsp. Alternatively customers can also make payments by ringing freephone number 0800 389 1977 or via the council's call centre on (01733) 747474.

 

Payments via the website or using the freephone number have seen the greatest increased usage which is good news for the council and ultimately the tax payer as these are the most cost effective.

 

The e-payments system was set up to give customers more flexible ways of making payments to Peterborough City Council.

 

Councillor Matthew Dalton, cabinet member for customer focus and communications, said: "Each month, more and more people sign up to these flexible methods of payment which enables us to provide a more cost-effective and efficient service to our customers.

 

"Our preferred and the most popular method of payment is direct debit but I understand this is not appropriate for all our customers and all of the services we deliver. As a result the figures we are now reporting for e-payments are very encouraging. 

 

"We remain mindful that a number of our customers still pay some of their bills in cash and to this end we have set up a facility to enable our customers who wish to pay their council tax in cash to do so at any of the 50 retail outlets in Peterborough that accept Payzone payments. 

 

"This facility will be expanded to allow payments for other services to also be made at these outlets. This is in addition to the option that already exists where customers can pay their council tax at post offices."