Town Council Makes Further Preparations for Move to Online Banking

Hailsham Town Council has taken further steps towards the use of internet banking for its future payments, a system to be implemented in the coming months.

At a meeting of Full Council held earlier this year, members acknowledged the need to maintain robust controls on payments as an integrated part of its overall financial control system and proposed to move the payments of the Council to electronic means using an online banking system as opposed to cheques.

Banking arrangements have developed considerably over the last few years and at an increasing pace,” said Cllr Gavin Blake-Coggins, chairman of the Town Council’s Finance, Budget & Resources Committee. “The use of cheques is becoming increasingly rare and many businesses – and individuals in fact – prefer to receive payment electronically and are now discouraging the use of cheques.”

“Some are now saying that they will soon refuse to accept cheque payments. The facility for the Council to pay for services by cheque will ultimately cease and we are now prepared for changes.”

The Committee discussed the possibility of moving over to complete online banking for the Council back in late 2018. At the time, it was decided that it would have online banking access to view bank accounts, print statements and have access to move funds between the bank accounts, but not to have the facility to make external payments to suppliers.

Since then, the closure of the local branch of the Council’s banking service provider and Covid restrictions in place have meant that suppliers are increasingly reluctant to accept cheque payments,  which has resulted in the Town Council’s wish to move to electronic banking as soon as possible.

It is anticipated that the Town Council’s new online bank account will be set up by the end of the year.

The Internal Auditor has welcomed the move by the Town Council to internet banking.