Council tax typo cost authority £200,000

Printing and postage of the correction letter cost the council almost £200,000

A council spent almost £200,000 on letters to correct a "typing mistake".

Bristol residents received council tax bills showing the correct amounts, but the percentage increases for police and fire services were mistakenly swapped.

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset was incorrectly shown to have a 5.9% rise, and the Avon Fire Authority quoted as 5%. These figures should have been the other way around.

A Bristol City Council spokesperson said the authority's process for sending bills has been reviewed since the "typing mistake, with additional steps" introduced.

Labour councillor Don Alexander asked about the cost of the error in a written question to the leader of the council, Tony Dyer.

His written response said the cost of print and postage for the correction letters was £198,000.

A council spokesperson said since the mistake, letters now need to be signed off by the authority's council tax manager before being sent out.