Taxpayers who laugh at the law are set to be hit with beefed-up court costs for not dealing with their bills on time.
Tamworth Council wants to increase administration charges from £30 to up to £55 for anyone taken to court for refusing to pay their council tax or business rates.
It believes the move will help ensure the authority is not left paying for any part of legal proceedings against bad payers.
Chief finance officer John Wheatley said the increased cost would be welcomed by taxpayers who did deal with their bills on time.
"The point of the charges is to recover the true cost of dealing with the cash recovery process," he said.
"It will aim to make sure people and businesses paying their council tax and business rates on time are not subsidising the late payers."
Mr Wheatley said the current £30 charge had not changed since it was introduced in April 1998, but operating costs linked to debt recovery had increased "considerably" in the past six years.
The need for a rise was identified during a review of the authority's revenue service, he added.
The increase will be introduced from March 1 if it is approved by senior councillors at an authority cabinet meeting on Monday night .
Members have also been recommended to introduce an annual review of court charges linked to debt recovery from the 2005/06 municipal year.
