ONE thousand householders in Bromsgrove can expect to receive their belated council tax bills in a few days, more than a month after the rest of the district had theirs.

In March, instead of their new bills, Bromsgrove District Council sent Lickey End residents a letter saying there would be a delay, but offered no explanation why.

In response to numerous calls, the Advertiser/Messenger contacted council leader Cllr Nick Psirides (Con) whose Norton ward covers the Lickey End area.

He said the delay has been caused by the council's computer having to be reprogrammed to accept the additional charge which will be required by the new parish council which is set to come into being after the elections in June.

But the leader of the Labour group on the district council, Cllr Peter McDonald (Uffdown and Waseley), is demanding an investigation into why the reprogramming was not started earlier.

He said: "I have had residents ask me why their bills are late so I have asked for a full investigation by the policy and strategy committee to find out why and what steps are being taken to ensure it does not happen again.

"The council was aware of what was required months ago and should have prepared for it earlier."

He added it underlined an auditor's report last December which he claims criticised the authority's finance department on a number of issues.

Cllr Psirides retorted: "Anyone would welcome a delay in paying their council tax bills rather than moaning about it."