ANYONE thinking about dodging the bill is unlikely to be successful - the council has a collection rate of 97 per cent.

Anyone not paying up will be sent two reminders and then a final demand calling on them to pay the full amount for the year.

The next stage is a council summons and the first of these will be issued towards the end of May.

About 8,000 court summons are issued a year by Swindon Council for non-payment.

After a summons has been issued magistrates can empower the council to take the money it is owed straight out of people's wage packets or deduct it from their income support. In the worst case the council can employ bailiffs to seize and sell goods in order to recover the money owed.

According to Swindon Council revenue services manager, Ian Walker, this happens in about 2,000 cases a year.

Although about three per cent of tax payers will not pay the charge, Mr Walker said they are not forgotten about.

Mr Walker said: "People disappear and then they crop up again and we will start pursuing them again."