Councillors summoned to court - for failing to pay their council tax (*Awkward!)

Information obtained by the Echo shows that councillors who are currently serving have received final notices- and two have been summoned to court.

In the last five years, West Dorset District councillors have received notices for failing to pay their council tax on 14 occasions.

On six of these occasions, a final notice was issued with two of these progressing to a summons to a liability order hearing.

Councillors Margaret Lawrence, who represents the Yetminster and Cam Vale ward and Robert Freeman, who represents Winterborne St Martin, were both summoned to court for failing to pay their council tax on time.

Both councillors paid their bill in full before the liability order hearing took place.

All 14 incidents over this period related to members of the Conservative party.

Cllr Freeman was issued a reminder in the 2014/15 financial year that progressed to the issuing of the summons in the 2015/16 financial year with Cllr Lawrence also summoned during the 2015/16 financial year.

Cllr Lawrence was first elected to the council in 2007 while Cllr Freeman was elected at the local elections in 2015.

Cllr Freeman expressed his regret at having missed a payment.

He said: "I would like to express my regret at having missed payment of my Council Tax bill last year.

“As soon as I realised, I ensured that the outstanding balance was paid and have now set up a direct debit to ensure that this does not happen again.”

Cllr Lawrence issued an apology.

She said: “Not paying my Council Tax bill on time was an oversight on my part and I would like to apologise for this.

"It is not something I make a habit of and will be making efforts to avoid this situation in the future. I would like to stress that the account was brought up to date shortly after becoming aware of the missed payment.”

Final warnings were also issued to councillors for overdue Council Tax in 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14 and 2015/16.

On eight other occasions since 2011, reminders were issued to councillors on West Dorset District Council before payments were brought up to date.

The council did not reveal the identities of these councillors.

Matt Prosser, chief executive of West Dorset District Council, offered reassurances to residents.

He said: “I would like to reassure our residents that the council takes the same action against councillors for unpaid Council Tax as it would do for other council taxpayers.

“Both councillors expressed their deep remorse at the time and took swift action to ensure that their accounts were brought up to date.

“Councillors who owe more than two months’ Council Tax are legally not allowed to vote on budgetary matters. In the very rare cases that this happens, we make sure that councillors are made aware of their legal responsibility.”

Councillors on Weymouth and Portland Borough Council who were serving on the council prior to the local elections in May were pursued for failure to pay council tax just five times in the same time period, none of these proceeded to a summons for a court hearing.

THE Taxpayers Alliance has urged councillors to lead by example when it comes to paying council tax.

Harry Davis, campaign manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Council Tax has risen by almost 60% in England in the last two decades so local taxpayers have every right to be angry that their money is being spent pursuing elected representatives who haven't paid on time. Some may be in financial difficulty, in which case they should have the help and support afforded to others. But the rest should be leading by example and anyone who has failed to pay what’s due ought to have the guts to own up. When resources are so tight, the last thing residents expect the council to be doing is wasting time and money chasing councillors for overdue bills."