Liberata, the business process innovation company, today announced that its partnership with Wandsworth Borough Council has helped to make the Borough the most effective in England and Wales for business rates collections in 2015/16. Wandsworth has claimed the top spot with an overall collection rate of 99.84%, a 0.34% percentage increase since 2014/2015, when it was ranked fourth in London and 13th nationally.
Wandsworth has been in the top quartile for business rates collection for the last four years, with overall collection rates upwards of 99%. Liberata has helped the council collect approximately £119m annually from almost 9,000 businesses trading in the Borough.
Kevin Legg, Assistant Director (Revenue Services) at Wandsworth Borough Council, said: “We are delighted with the results achieved in partnership with Liberata, particularly in light of the recent government announcement that councils will keep the revenue raised from business rates. Becoming the number one Borough for business rates collection is testament to our continued focus on improving collections year-on-year.”
Vijay Chandiramani, COO of Local Government Business Process Services at Liberata, said: “We are delighted to share Wandsworth’s success with a partnership that has evolved over the years. With the revenue from business rates increasingly going directly back to local authorities, it’s more important than ever to make sure that collection is being done effectively. Through a combination of sector-specific expertise, effective process automation and data analytics, councils can achieve great results in a cost-effective and low-risk manner. Our work with Wandsworth is a fantastic example of what is possible.”
