Scottish local authorities owed almost £1bn in unpaid council tax

Published on Tuesday 29 June 2010 13:44

ALMOST £1 billion of council tax has not been paid since it was introduced in Scotland, figures revealed today.

Council tax bills for the period 1993-94 to 2009-10 total more than 24.317 billion.

But official statistics showed that more than 23.361 billion has been paid, leaving almost 956 million unpaid.

In 2009-10 council tax bills sent out from Scotland's 32 local authorities totalled 1.963 billion.

However the amount collected from households across the country was 1.855 billion, a collection rate of 94.5%.

That is up slightly from 94.3% in the previous year and up from 88.3% a decade ago.

The figures for 2009-10 show Dundee City Council with the lowest collection rate, where 91.4% of billed-for council tax was paid.

The collection rate was highest in the Orkney Islands, at 97.7%

Councillor Iain McKenzie, finance spokesman for local authority group Cosla, said the figures were "good reading".

He said: "They show a 0.2% increase in the in-year collection for 2009-10, 94.5% compared with 94.3% in 2008-09.

"Councils have also collected 96.1% of all council tax including amounts owing from previous years.

"Councils make every effort to collect council tax owing and have well-established debt collection arrangements in place which includes advice to those who genuinely are not able to pay their bills on time.

"However, that said, the council tax payer in Scotland can rest assured that we will not be resting on our laurels despite the record levels collected last year."