A PENSIONER being pursued by debt collectors for an overdue council tax fine, despite paying his bill six months early, has won his fight after the Oxford Mail intervened.

Bryan Davis had been threatened with a visit from the bailiffs to collect £175 in cash or personal possessions because Cherwell District Council said he failed to pay his monthly instalments on time.

The 81-year-old said he has been paying the same way for 14 years but the council had insisted the fine had to be paid.

However, the authority has now confirmed it is no longer pursuing Mr Davis for any money.

Mr Davis, of Saffron Close, Bicester, contacted the Oxford Mail after getting nowhere with the council himself.

He said: “It appears to be the council’s policy to re-coup as much as possible from vulnerable elderly people to help reduce the amount they write-off each year in uncollected council tax, irrespective of interest earned by early payments.”

The former car factory worker started paying his £1,601 Band D council tax bill for 2014/2015 by paying £161 in April and then monthly sums of £160 between May and September.

But Because his payment dates varied each month, to allow him to keep his bank account sufficiently in credit, the council sent him reminders and then ordered him to pay the outstanding £640 in full, which he did in September – six months early.

Mr Davis said: “My payments were made later on in the month when money became available in my account, not on the first of the month.

“I thought I would pay the full amount to get them off my back but they said it’s not good enough and I will still get fined.”

Debt collectors from Bristow & Sutor enforcement agents contacted Mr Davis last month saying they wanted to collect goods to the value of £175.

Mr Davis said: “My wife Sheila is very poorly and this is another thing to worry about.”

Cherwell District Council initially told the Oxford Mail that Mr Davis had ‘consistently failed to make his council tax payments on time’ and the costs incurred by the council to recover the debt were still outstanding.

However, On Thursday, council spokesman Tony Ecclestone said: “The council has been in touch with Mr Davis and the matter has now been successfully settled.

“His account is fully paid for 2014/15 and 2015/16. There will be no further action.”

Mr Davis said: “They have called off their enforcement people. A bit of pressure definitely helped me out. Thank you.”