The Customer Engagement Service Team at Walsall Council has won a prestigious National Innovation Award at the 2025 Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) Performance Awards for its transformative use of digital technology and automation.
These national awards celebrate excellence across revenues, benefits, and valuation in both the public and private sector.
Walsall Council in partnership with software provider Ascendant Solutions won the Excellence in Innovation Award for their work using digital technology and automation to improve the handling of council tax and business rates and make collection faster and more efficient.
“ I am so proud of our Customer Engagement Service Team who are leading the way in delivering modern, compassionate services that genuinely make a difference to people’s lives."
Councillor Pardeep Kaur, Portfolio Holder for Housing Support and Resident Access at Walsall Council
“This work is a key part of the council's plan to better support vulnerable residents facing financial hardship and the new system is a major improvement in handling council tax and business rates. As well as speeding up debt recovery and saving staff time, it helps us identify vulnerable residents who need support."
"The team’s dedication to continuous improvement and partnership working has set a new standard for local government customer service and this award is a huge achievement and a direct reflection of their hard work, creativity, and commitment. “
The IRRV judges commended the service for putting residents at the heart of everything they do.
Walsall Council’s innovative approach includes the use of robotic process automation (RPA) and Chatbot to report highway and enforcement problems, freeing up backlog and helping vulnerable residents in real time. The council is also planning further automation to trace people who have moved and to manage deductions from wages or benefits.
