Cash desks removed from council buildings to ease budget pressures

Council chiefs have decided to remove cash payment desks from all local authority-run buildings in the coming months.

The plan, announced at a recent cabinet meeting, will see the permanent closure of cash payment facilities at Neath and Port Talbot Civic Centres due to ‘demand for the cash desks being significantly diminished’ and comparisons with service provisions across neighbouring boroughs.

A six month review period recorded a total of 78 people using cash office services, an average of only 13 customers per month, with most residents using the service to pay council tax, parking, and business rates.

Alternative arrangements to cash desk services will include payments being made online or by cheque, allowing vacant and relief posts to be removed from the staffing structure.

The report read: “Customers wishing to pay by card will be directed to the council’s website payment portal or to the automated payment line to make the payment or to the local post office.”

“Cheque payments will be able to be accepted and forwarded to the accountancy team for processing. Any persons wishing to make payment by cash will be directed to the post office should the service allow payment by this method, the majority of payments can now be made at all local post offices.”

Closure of the two cash offices is hoped to save Neath Port Talbot Council around £52,000 per year, as part of savings towards £48 million worth of budget pressures which have been forecasted over the next few years.