• Liverpool City Council launches innovative new council tax payment card
  
  
• Wallet-sized card giving people more choice about when and where they pay
  
  
• Card is replacing payment booklets, saving thousands of pounds a year      

The council has launched a plastic payment card to replace the existing council tax payment booklets. 

It is giving people a more convenient, easy way to pay their council tax.  

People can simply pop into to any of Liverpool's 113 post offices, hand over their card and payment to the cashier, telling them how much they want to pay - and the cashier will swipe the card, process the payment and return the card with a paper receipt.  

With the old payment booklet, a charge was made by the Post office for processing payments, but with the new card - it's free!

The new initiative means customers can also make payments at any Paypoint or Payzone site in newsagents and supermarkets across the country - so people can even make a payment when they pop out to pick up their newspaper or buy groceries.  

It's increasing the number of payment-taking outlets in the city by 240, and because the card can be used at many newsagents and supermarkets, people can use it to pay their council tax outside normal banking hours. 

Lib Dem executive member for resources, Councillor Keith Turner, said: "This new card will transform the way people pay their council tax, giving them more freedom and choice about where and when they make payments. 

"It's part of our drive to improve revenues services across the board, using innovation and new technology to make life easier for residents, cut down on waste and provide better value."

Under the old system, each council taxpayer in the city who did not pay by direct debit was issued with a new payment book every year. Around 152,500 books were issued each year. 

Because residents will only be issued with one card, designed to fit in their wallet or purse like any cash card - instead of receiving a payment book every year - there will be a huge reduction in paperwork and red tape, saving thousands of pounds a year and helping protect the environment.

All 80,000 residents who receive payment booklets will get their 'fantastic plastic' in the post by the end of March, along with a fact sheet and answers to frequently asked questions.

If you require any further information on the new council tax payment card, please call 0151 233 3008.