BURY is top of the Greater Manchester league when it comes to collecting council tax.

In the year 2002/03, the council brought in 97.3 per cent of the £49.03 million owed to it, up from 96.9 per cent during the same period in the previous year.

This is higher than the England average of 96.5 per cent, and the metropolitan average of 95.5 per cent, and puts Bury in the top quarter of similar councils.

There is further good news for finance bosses: Bury is joint top in collecting business rates, its 98.5 per cent total of the total £34.04 million up 0.1 per cent from last year. Again, this puts Bury in the top quarter.

Mr Mike Owen, director of finance and e-government, said: "We're very pleased to have the highest collection rate in the area, and this is a tribute to the hard work of our staff.

"It's essential we bring in as much tax as possible so we can provide the services we have budgeted for."

Mr Owen pointed out that the 97.3 per cent figure reflected only what was collected in the year it was owed. This was certain to rise in the coming months as arrears are brought in. Bury budgets to collect 98 per cent of monies owed.

In the region, Manchester was bottom of the league with a collection rate of 87.9 per cent.

Across England, collection rates rose by 0.3 per cent for both council tax and business rates.

Local government minister Nick Raynsford said: "It is important councils keep up their good work. The money collected for council tax is spent on essential public services and unpaid taxes create a burden for those residents who do pay."