A HAMPSHIRE authority has urged city residents to pay their council tax on time – or face a court summons.

Southampton City Council has insisted its rules on late payments are clear after residents complained they were being hit with hefty fines and unexpected summons.

But taxpayers have accused the authority of “draconian” tactics in the way it collects its debts.

It comes after the council was revealed as one of most prolific in the country when it comes to issuing council tax court summons and sending in the bailiffs.

In one case an 85-year-old man with Alzheimer’s disease, who did not want to be named, received a summons and £60 fine without any warning letter after paying his monthly bill just over a week late. Some previous payments had been late too but made within a seven-day deadline set by a reminder notice.

His son said: “This seems very draconian. I wish the council were this efficient when it comes to street cleaning and rubbish collection.

“After my experience I am not surprised that Southampton is one of the most prolific for sending out summons and calling in the bailiffs.”

Another resident complained she had received an unexpected bailiff demand to pay three months’ council tax for the remainder of the year following a one-day late payment in December.

Hospital worker Alessandra Cucinelli, 36, of Coxford Avenue, said she received no notification about the bailiffs but said a postal problem may have prevented her receiving council warning letters.

“It was frightening. I could not possibly pay it all even if I did over time. I have no idea how I will pay it,” she said.

Figures obtained by the Lib Dems revealed the council issued nearly 27,000 summons to take people to court for council tax arrears last year, and called in bailiffs nearly 8,000 times.

Across five council areas, including Southampton, New Forest, Winchester and Eastleigh, the Daily Echo revealed that 42,000 summons were issued.

Southampton City Council insists it sends a reminder to a council taxpayer ten days after a missed payment. If it goes unpaid for seven days a court summons is sent demanding the outstanding balance for the full year and £60 costs.

If two reminders have been sent in any one year, the third time a payment is missed a final notice is issued, demanding the year’s outstanding balance.

This is followed by a summons if that goes unpaid.

One woman from Shirley, who declined to be named, was issued with a court summons after her council tax payment was a few days late.

She said: “They’re ridiculously heavy handed with people who pay a few days late, but what about those who are months and months in arrears – or those that don’t pay at all?

“Receiving a court summons makes you feel like some sort of criminal when, in reality, all you’ve done is be a few days late with a payment.”

Ex-councillor Perry McMillan received a court summons when he missed a payment due at the beginning of this month.

The letter, which included a £60 fine on top of the monthly council tax arrears, offered him the chance to pay by direct debit – the council’s “preferred payment method” – on a selection of four dates throughout the month.

The fine was later waived when he agreed.

Mr McMillan said he had been a council tenant for 26 years and always paid his rent and council tax, but had been late on three occasions.

He said: “The fact they had given us four preferred dates to pay by direct debit proves the council is not going to go bust if they don’t get the money on a specific day.

“I’m just wondering if there is a new “take no prisoner” policy by the Tories.”

Coxford ward councillor Don Thomas said he had been deluged with complaints from residents about the heavy-handed approach.

“We are talking about some tenants who have been with us for twenty years and more, it’s not as though they are not going to pay.

“Even contemplation of resorting to using bailiffs, which should have gone out in the Victorian times, is dreadful.”

Latest figures show the council had collected 95 per cent of council tax owed by the end of the 2008 financial year leaving around £3.5m unpaid.

Southampton City Council’s deputy leader Royston Smith said the council was getting tough on people who paid late but denied claims of bullying.

“If we don’t collect the council tax, we can’t pay for the services. If people don’t pay the financial burden falls disproportionately on those that do.”

Cllr Smith said that people who genuinely fall on hard times and claim benefits can make a claim for a reduced council tax bill.

Cllr Smith said the £60 fine issued with the court summons was to cover the costs of tax collection and could only be waived in exceptional circumstances.

How do other councils deal with late payments?

OTHER councils operate the same warning stages as Southampton although they differ in the time they take to send out reminders and issue summons.

In Eastleigh a reminder letter is sent out three weeks after a council tax payment is due. If the bill remains unpaid a court summons asking for the year’s outstanding balance is sent 21 days after the reminder letter.

The council issued 3,847 court summons in 2007/08 and that year bailiffs were used on 1,124 occasions.

Portsmouth City Council sends a reminder letter within 16 to 21 days of a payment being missed. If a bill remains unpaid a summons follows between 21 and 28 days later.

Winchester City Council said that it will send out a reminder anytime between seven days and a month after a missed payment. If the bill remains unpaid a court summons will be issued the following month.

The council issued 5,624 court summons last year and used bailiffs on 1,965 occasions.

New Forest District Council said it sends out a reminder around 20 days after a non-payment. A court summons will follow if the payment is not made within seven days. Last year 5,009 court summons were issued, and bailiffs were used 2,430 times.

Fareham Borough Council sends out a reminder within 14 days of a late payment.

A court summons is issued if payment is not received after seven days.

Last year 1,770 court summons were issued in relation to non-payment of council tax and 1,005 cases dealt with by bailiffs.

Before the summons

■ A reminder is sent to a council taxpayer ten days after they fail to make a due payment.

■ The reminder will ask for the payment within seven days.

■ A summons will be issued for the outstanding balance for the year and £60 costs if the reminder notice goes unpaid.

■ Up to two reminder notices will be sent in any one year. The third time a payment is missed a final notice is issued. This will demand the outstanding balance for the year and if that goes unpaid, a summons will also be sent.

■ The second reminder notice will state no further reminders will be issued.