Businesses benefit as Rotherham Council pays up promptly

ROTHERHAM Borough Council are the county’s fastest payers when it comes to settling bills, according to a new report.

The Forum of Private Business found that the council paid 60 per cent of bills within ten days — well above the regional average of 42.7 per cent — and 94.3 per cent within a month.

The figures put the borough sixth in a Yorkshire league table and 110th nationally for stumping up within ten days, and 11th out of 22 regionally (177th in the UK) for paying within 30 days.

Figures for the average time to pay were not available.

Neighbouring Sheffield and Barnsley came out worse in the study, paying 20 per cent and 26 per cent of bills within ten days, while no data was provided in this category for Doncaster, although Rotherham’s northern neighbour settled 91 per cent of bills with suppliers in 30 days.

Top of the league nationally was Tonbridge and Malling, which pays 97 per cent of demands within ten days.

The FPB requested the figures under the Freedom of Information act after the the Government asked local authorities to pay suppliers within ten days or fewer to improve small businesses’ cash flow problems.

The Forum’s policy advisor, Robert Downes, said: “Late payment is a curse for many small firms, and if local councils can’t get it right with all the resources at their disposal, then the private sector will always have an excuse for doing the, same but worse.”

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