Party leaders call for better system to tackle problem of rising arrears

The data released by the Department for Communities and Local Government shows the outstanding arrears accrued since the introduction of the tax in 1993 to the end of the 2012/13 financial year.

The figure for Bradford was recorded at £26,611,000 – equivalent to £134 per household.

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, the Liberal Democrat leader on Bradford Council, said: “I was shocked when I saw these figures.

“The executive should produce an annual report on council tax looking at when the debt is written off and how many have been, and how old the debts is.”

Conservative group leader Councillor Glen Miller said he will call for policies to be reviewed and for better systems to be put in place to collect the arrears.

Independent group leader, Councillor Adrian Naylor, said: “Bradford needs to make sure that everyone pays their taxes, whatever they may be, and treat any significant unpaid sums as a big concern.

Martin Stubbs, assistant director for Bradford Council’s revenues and benefits service, said the Council takes arrears seriously.

He said: “We use all the powers at our disposal, including making deductions from people’s wages or benefits and instructing bailiffs to collect debts on our behalf. As a last resort we would consider making a person bankrupt if they continued to refuse to pay.

“The total amount of arrears outstanding was £25.7 million at the end of March 2013, down from £30.1 million in March 2011.

“In our experience real local factors, such as deprivation, means it can take longer than we would wish for households to pay their council tax. This doesn’t mean we won’t collect the amounts, it takes a little longer. Eventually our figures show we collect around 98.5 per cent of everything that is due.

“The remaining 1.5 per cent is uncollectable due to factors such as untraceable taxpayers, deaths, bankruptcy and where the magistrates have chosen to cancel a debt.