Paying for your fair share is a concept few of us dispute. The same can be said for receiving fair treatment, both in our personal lives and in our dealings with the State.  

From a local government viewpoint, those two entities – the individual and the State – rub along just fine in the overwhelming majority of cases, bar the odd missed bin collection or parking ticket. Indeed, local government consistently enjoys a greater vote of confidence than its national counterpart in all major surveys. But there are certain areas in which the reputation of local authorities for fair dealing has taken a hit in recent years, particularly in terms of debt collection.