Council highlighing extent of unpaid tax

LOCAL AUTHORITY WRITE OFF NEARLY £300,000

- MARC MCLEAN

More than 800 Dumfries and Galloway residents have dodged paying nearly £300,000 in council tax in just six months, it has been revealed.

Dumfries and Galloway Council has been forced to write off council tax debts totalling £289,249 that were racked up by 803 accounts between April 1 and September 30 this year.

A further £77,828 has been lost due to 161 housing benefit overpayments being made - with one of the recipients pocketing a staggering £14,216 they weren't entitled to.

Meanwhile, nearly £250,000 is missing from the council coffers because business owners have failed to pay their non-domestic rates and have shut up shop or can't be traced.

In total, £665,000 has been written off by council officers in the first six months of this year.