PEOPLE in the Chard and Ilminster area who fail to pay their council tax on time will be sent a text giving them two days to settle their bill.

South Somerset District Council decided on the informal approach because mobile phone users are more likely to read a text than open an e-mail.

The texts will got to customers whose council tax is ten days overdue, but if they still fail to pay they will get a formal reminder.

A council spokesman said: "An initial text message will be sent to all customers where we hold a mobile phone number collected since April 1, 2017, to let them know we will use text messaging and direct them to our privacy notice on the council’s website.

"Anyone phoning the council or using our online forms will now be made aware of how we will use their contact details within the council and we will add or update those details on their account.

"Continually paying late can result in losing the right to pay by instalments meaning the whole balance becomes due.

"It can also lead to additional summons and liability order costs of £76.50 being added to the customer’s account."

He added that seven out of ten households pay their council tax by direct debit - to set up call 01935-462125.

Cllr Peter Seib, portfolio holder for finance at SSDC, said: "People tend to read texts even if they don't read e-mails, so using SMS is ideal.

"A timely reminder, sent automatically by our new IT system, will help a few people avoid getting into trouble with tax arrears and it won't greatly inconvenience the majority."