Andy and Rachel Hancock, who relocated to the village of Puriton in Somerset this January, have faced a frustrating 15-week wait to update the address on their council tax bill. Despite promptly notifying Somerset Council’s revenue and benefits service of their move, the couple were advised to continue paying council tax under their previous address — a solution that caused significant distress.
Local councillor Mark Healey criticized the council for what he described as “a lack of response and urgency” regarding local issues. Addressing the council’s executive committee, he shared the Hancocks’ experience as an example of wider communication and service delays impacting residents.
The Hancocks expressed their frustration in an emailed statement, saying, “We are in total despair over concerns with Somerset Council and the lack of communication. Being told it would take 15 weeks to update our address is unacceptable, especially when proof of address is needed by other organisations quickly — it often seems you can buy a house faster.”
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Their difficulties extended beyond council tax to planning services, where delays and poor communication continued. After submitting planning application fees in early March, the couple had not seen validation of their plans on the council’s portal within the standard three to five working days. Despite repeated attempts to get a response — including emails and phone calls — the council’s advice was to keep emailing and wait another 10 working days, with no guarantee of improved communication.
In response, Deputy Leader Liz Leyshon apologized for the delays. She explained the council is undergoing significant changes, including merging four legacy systems into one and a recent full team restructure in the revenues and benefits service. This transition, compounded by the end of a previous contract with Capita for the Mendip area, has contributed to the current backlog.
To address these challenges, the council has added extra resources focused on reducing delays. Ms. Leyshon emphasized her openness to hearing from division members and residents to help resolve specific cases swiftly.
While these improvements aim to ease the backlog, the experience of the Hancocks highlights the impact service delays and poor communication can have on residents navigating local government processes.