Purpose of the post
•Ensure that the people of Gwynedd are central to everything we do.
•Operate within the daily Tax process to ensure responsibility for correct exemptions, discounts, and payments.
•The role will involve a combination of back-office and front-line work, and the officer will be expected to contribute to ensuring an adequate number of officers are present during the Council's official opening hours.
Responsibility for functions
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Main duties
•Deal with general inquiries and process service requests received over the phone.
•Provide advice on public rights in the field of taxes and advise them on how to claim their rights.
•Ensure that the customer receives correctly adjusted bills following notifications of any change in circumstances.
•Deal with general inquiries and process service requests received via email/electronic form or paper, responding in the form of a letter or email. (Strong written communication skills required).
•Handle complaints from the public, referring more complex/contentious ones to the Tax Team Leader.
•Receive and process payments over the phone.
•Receive and process requests to pay by direct debit arrangement.
•Arrange timely refunds for any overpayments.
•Attempt to trace taxpayers who are in arrears and have moved without notifying us of their new address.
•Ensure clear and concise records of all customer contacts are kept as evidence of the process followed in case of tribunal proceedings.
•Process applications for discounts/exemptions by collecting evidence of entitlement.
•Use multiple systems (internal and external) to ensure the customer is not deceiving us regarding their circumstances.
•Agree on payment arrangements when the customer is in arrears.
•Assist recovery officers as needed.
•Process the results of systematic reviews.
•Responsibility for self-development.
•Ensure compliance with Health and Safety rules in the workplace in accordance with the responsibilities noted in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Council’s Health and Safety Policy.
•Operate within the Council’s policies in relation to equal opportunities and equality.
•Responsible for managing information in accordance with the Council’s information management guidelines. Ensure that personal information is treated in accordance with Data Protection legislation.
•Commitment to reducing the Council’s carbon emissions in accordance with the Carbon Management Plan, and to encourage others to act positively towards reducing the Council’s Carbon Footprint.
•Undertake any other reasonable duty which corresponds to the salary level and responsibility level of the job.
•Responsibility to report any concern or suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused.
Special circumstances
•The post holder will be required to complete a successful DBS check.
•Due to the need for specific system knowledge at various key periods in the financial year, occasional unsocial hours working is expected.