Our Ref: / FOI-029 KS
Your Ref:
Date: / 31 May 2011
If telephoning, please ask for Karen Shannon, telephone 01389 737842
E-mail:

Stephanie Mottershead

Dear Ms Mottershead,

Freedom of Information Request

Information Requested

West Dunbartonshire Council received your request for information on 5 May 2011 in respect of providing you with the following information in relation to the accounts receivable processes:

  1. “Where are the accounts receivable team based and if centralised?
  2. Which finance system/accounting software they use to process customer invoices/payments?
  3. Number of cash allocators and credit controllers employed full time to reconcile cash and match payments to the sales ledger?
  4. How many customers do you have?
  5. How many payments do you receive per day?
  6. Volume of remittance slips received per day. Do they come in by post? Are they scanned?
  7. How may BACS payments do you receive per day?
  8. How many cheque payments do you receive per day? Are cheques scanned?
  9. How long does it take to clear a day’s cash?”

Response

  1. West Dunbartonshire Council’s accounts receivable team is based at West Dunbartonshire Council Offices, Garshake road, Dumbarton G82 3PU. The accounts receivable team is not centralised.
  2. The finance accounting system used is Agresso Financials.
  3. There are 6 full time members of staff within the rates and debtors control team.
  4. There are currently 27,983 customers.
  5. The number of payments received per day for cheques, BACS and Bank Giro Credits are shown in the attached file.
  6. The volume of remittance slips received is detailed in the attached file. The remittance slips are received by post. Currently they are not scanned.
  7. BACS payments received each day are shown in the attached file.
  8. Cheque payments received per day are shown in the attached file. Cheques are not scanned at present.
  9. The length of time taken to clear day’s cash will vary depending on the volume received. The cash is generally cleared within 24 hours.

Review Procedure

If you are dissatisfied with this decision or the way in which West Dunbartonshire Council has dealt with your request, you are entitled to require the Council to review its decision. Please note that in order for a review to take place, you must:

  • lodge a written “requirement for review” within 40 working days of the date of this notice
  • include your address for correspondence, a description of the original request and the reasons why you are dissatisfied
  • Address your review request to the Head of Legal, Administrative & Regulatory Services:

Mr Andrew Fraser

Head of Legal, Administrative & Regulatory Services

West Dunbartonshire Council

Council Offices

Garshake Road

Dumbarton

G82 3PU

Email:andrew.fraser@west-dunbarton,.gov.uk

Fax:01389 737870

Staff not involved in the original decision will handle the review. You will receive notice of the result of your review within 20 working days. It will explain the findings of the review as well as details of how to appeal to the Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner if you are dissatisfied with the review decision reached by West Dunbartonshire Council.

If you have any further queries about this process, please contact me at the above telephone number.

Yours sincerely,

Karen Shannon

Financial Administrative & Control Lead Officer