WILTSHIRE is setting a fine example to counties nationwide after a report was released praising their ability to collect payments imposed in court.

Wiltshire is one of only 12 Magistrates' Court Committees in England and Wales that have collected 90 per cent or more of all court-imposed fines in the last year.

The government's department for constitutional affairs have released a report showing between April 2003 and March 2004 Wiltshire courts collected 94 per cent of the £3.4 million set.

Courts' minister Christopher Leslie attributed the excellent collection rate to a "get tougher" package of measures.

He said: "We must continue to build on the good work done so far and must not become complacent.

"A new fines' enforcement regime, contained within the courts' act, came into effect last year to give magistrates greater powers to deal more effectively with fine defaulters."