TAXPAYERS in Bury can look forward to less stressful dealings with the Inland Revenue.

It's thanks to a new scheme agreed with chartered accountants and the Chartered Institute of Taxation.

Called "Working Together," the scheme will provide a more co-operative, fast-track approach to dealing with queries and conflicts, which in the past have often led to strained relationships.

Martin Hardman, co-ordinator of the Bury Society of Chartered Accountants, said the joint initiative with the Inland Revenue was a breakthrough which would improve local communication and liaison between revenue officials, tax advisers and their clients. He explained: "Before self assessment was introduced three years ago, it was often possible to pick up the phone and resolve concerns on an informal basis.

"Nowadays, self assessment is seen as a less flexible, more formal procedure with a tendency for the Inland Revenue to issue inquiry notices as a first step."

Mr Hardman said some taxpayers had become more complacent about self assessment returns and chartered accountants had a responsibility to improve standards.

Closer co-operation, he went on to stress, would help taxpayers as well as the Inland Revenue.

He continued: "The Revenue have their job to do and accountants must act in the clients' best interests by making sure they don't pay more than necessary.

"We are very pleased that the revenue has agreed to work with the professional bodies to improve this."

The scheme would involve the creation of a register of issues detailing operational tax problems, enabling them to be identified and dealt with as swiftly as possible.