Purpose

Following a targeted
consultation with cheque users, the council has decided to stop
accepting cheques as a payment method across all of its services.
Following an overall decline in the number of cheque users in the
past few years, along with a change in how the council’s
banking partner accepts cheques, it is no longer financially viable
to accept cheques as a payment method.
 
Prior to making this decision,
the council ran a consultation with those residents and businesses
who had paid by cheque in the last two years. This allowed
respondents to outline their views on the proposal and tell the
council which alternatives were available to them. They also had
the opportunity to express why they found the other available ways
to pay, such as direct debit, bank transfer, or Paypoint,
challenging.
 
This has allowed the council to
produce a comprehensive document outlining how people can pay and
the different options available to them. This includes a focused
section for those older residents or those who identify as having a
disability and the specific support available to them. This will be
sent by post to all residents who paid by cheque in the past two
years and also published on the council’s website. Continued
support through the council’s customer services team will be
available to residents to allow them to switch to the most
convenient payment method for them.