Authority refuses to reveal list of tax-dodging councillors
FIVE HAD FAILED TO MAKE PAYMENTS BETWEEN JANUARY 2018 AND JANUARY 2021
A WEST London council is refusing to name councillors who failed to pay council tax during the last three years, including two who were summonsed to court.
Five councillors for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea failed to make council tax payments between January 2018 and January 2021, but the authority will not say who they are.
One councillor – dubbed “Cllr 2” in documents – owed £4,187.29 between 2018 and 2020 while the group owed a total of £6,960.04. The authority revealed the monies owed by each councillor in response to a Freedom of Information request made by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
However, the authority will not reveal the names of the councillors as it claims this is personal information that should not be disclosed – despite other authorities naming councillors through FOI laws for the same issue.
The highest amount of council tax owed by an individual councillor was £4,187.29, followed by £1,654.66, £799.43, £172 and £146.
Bailiffs were instructed to contact one councillor, but all of the members have since paid off their debts.
A local authority can take legal action to demand a resident pays council tax by asking a magistrate for a liability order.
A council can also charge a resident for the legal costs of hiring a lawyer.
There is a maximum prison sentence of three months for refusing to pay council tax without a good reason.
A Kensington and Chelsea spokesperson said: “Council tax funds essential services for our communities – supporting vulnerable adults and children, collecting waste and recycling, maintaining our parks and roads, tackling anti-social behaviour and more.
“We pursue non-payment from all our residents, regardless of their role.
“It has been a financially challenging time for many during the pandemic and we have provided a Council Tax Reduction Scheme.
“If residents are concerned about paying their council tax, they should contact the council to discuss their circumstances.”