Council writes off debts

During a meeting cabinet members were informed of cases where no further action could be taken to recover debts owed.

Typical examples of money owed to councils include council tax, rent and parking charges, but Ashfield District Council was unable to give more details when requested by Chad.

A report from the cabinet meeting during which the debts were written off said: “Recovery action has been taken in these cases up to and including legal and court action. There is no prospect of further recovery work being successful.”

Speaking after the meeting, Coun Cheryl Butler, leader of Ashfield District Council, said: “It is unfortunate for every council.

“There are attempts to find these people but when it comes to the point that there is no way we can find them we have to write their debts off.

“But should we get information within three years’ time we will pursue it again. If they have disappeared it could take years to find them.”

Chad contacted Ashfield District Council to ask how many individual cases of written off debts there were how much the entire amount of debt came to but a spokesman was unable to provide this information.

The spokesman said: “The Council is very proactive at collecting debts but in some cases - particularly insolvency cases - it is not economic or even possible to do so.”

Meanwhile, the BBC reported last week that Perth and Kinross Council was set to write-off more than £818,000 owed to it in council tax, rent and car parking fines.

Giving more detail, the report read: “The proposal would write-off £388,271 owed in council tax.

“Rent charges of £281,607 owed by former tenants and £18,591 in garage and lock-up fees could also be written off.

“Other debts that could be waived include £112,794 of car parking fines and £17,314 of housing services charges provided to homeless clients in temporary accommodation.”