Council vows to collect £2 million unpaid local tax

More than £2 million of unpaid council tax remains outstanding in Argyll and Bute from the 2017/18 financial year – out of a total of more than £20 million unpaid in 25 years.

Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that the total outstanding to the local authority in tax has now gone through the £20 million barrier since council tax was introduced in 1993.

The total is now £20,795,233 as of the end of the 2017/18 financial year on March 31, having been £19,798,674 at the end of 2016/17 and £18,992,810 at the end of 2015/16.

A spokesman for the council stated that more than £2 million remained unpaid in isolation from April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018.

He said: ‘The current figure for uncollected council tax for 2017/18 is £2,041,394 which amounts to 2.19 per cent of the Scottish total for that year.

‘Since 1993, we have collected an average of 97.66 per cent of council tax, helping to pay for vital services across Argyll and Bute.’

A Scottish Government publication at the end of June revealed that a total of slightly more than £93 million in council tax remains uncollected in Scotland for the 2017/18 financial year, across all local authorities.

The figure is a dramatic increase on the figure of £77 million for 2016/17.

The same publication notes that Argyll and Bute has a total council tax collection rate of 95.8 per cent for 2017/18.

A handful of local authorities have a lower collection rate, including neighbouring West Dunbartonshire at 95.4 per cent. Meanwhile, the council has written off less than £500 of council tax over the past financial year – and warned that there is nowhere to hide for anybody who has not paid their dues.

The total write-off figure since 1993 has fallen from £362,164 at the end of 2016/17 to £230,009 at the end of 2017/18.

The council’s spokesman added: ‘Only £416.30 was written off for the 2017/18 council tax year and we will continue to pursue collection of arrears using all appropriate means.’