Birmingham City Council

Summary of Submission

Birmingham City Council’s Council Tax Recovery Teams have delivered outstanding improvements over the past year, transforming customer engagement and recovery performance while supporting some of the city’s most vulnerable residents. Serving a population of 1.18 million, the teams collect vital income that helps fund essential public services across Birmingham.

Through early intervention, improved case ownership, dedicated summons workflows, and enhanced staff coaching, the teams have significantly increased customer contact, prioritised support for vulnerable residents, and improved payments collected over the phone. Their customer focused approach has helped reduce enforcement referrals by 19% while generating over £316,000 in phone payments.

A culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and staff empowerment has been central to this success. The teams have also embedded equality, diversity and inclusion, communicating using plain language, tailored recovery options, and early identification of vulnerability. These achievements demonstrate service transformation, stronger financial outcomes, and a commitment to fair, effective, resident focused recovery services.

Burnley & Pendle Councils in Partnership with Liberata

Summary of Submission

Liberata East Lancashire Council Tax Hub delivers services for Burnley and Pendle Councils. Operating across two diverse, deprived and socio-economically challenged boroughs, the team combines exceptional collection performance with a customer-focused approach that supports vulnerable residents and promotes digital self-service.

Over five years, the team collected an additional £9.3 million in Council Tax income above expected levels, (£3.5 million for Burnley and £5.8 million for Pendle), while maintaining a fair, ethical and supportive recovery approach. For authorities of this size, this level of additional income has a significant impact on their ability to invest in frontline services, helping support communities during a period of continued financial pressure. Success is underpinned by cross-skilled staff, strong partnership working, shared best practice, service automation and continuous improvement. The team has also delivered sustained improvements in collections from vulnerable households and empty properties, demonstrating exceptional performance and resident support can be achieved together.

Salford City Council

Summary of Submission

Salford City Council’s Revenues and Better Off Services has transformed traditional revenues delivery through a fully integrated model spanning Council Tax, Business Rates, recovery, Council Tax Reduction and welfare support. The team combines data, automation and community-based support to maximise income, prevent debt and improve outcomes for residents and businesses. Better Off Engage officers provide personalised support in local communities, helping vulnerable customers address financial hardship and wider challenges. Innovative use of automation has enabled thousands of residents to receive support automatically, while real-time data and targeted interventions improve efficiency and allow staff to focus on complex cases. Strong financial performance has been maintained, including improved Council Tax collection and strengthened Business Rates compliance. Ethical debt recovery is embedded throughout the service, with vulnerable customers receiving tailored support. Through innovation, partnership working and prevention, the team has delivered measurable financial, social and customer service benefits while creating a modern, inclusive revenues service.

Valuation Office

Summary of Submission

Valuation Office Valuation Support Unit (VSU) Council Tax Contact Team

In a year marked by major system transformation, operational pressures and rising customer demand, the Council Tax VSU has demonstrated exceptional resilience, professionalism and commitment. Following the introduction of the Valuation Operating System (VOS), productivity and efficiency were significantly impacted, creating substantial challenges for both customers and colleagues. Despite increased customer dissatisfaction and vulnerability, the team maintained a compassionate, customer-focused service while adapting to new processes and limited guidance.

Through innovation, collaboration and determination, the VSU developed bespoke guidance, supported large-scale upskilling programmes, onboarded around 150 new colleagues and provided critical resource to wider business priorities. Their efforts delivered a remarkable recovery, increasing productivity, reducing average call handling times and cutting workstacks from Day 65 to Day 5.

The team's ability to embrace change, support vulnerable customers and drive continuous improvement while maintaining service quality exemplifies the very best of the organisation. Their outstanding contribution makes them highly deserving of recognition.