Councillor owes authority £38k

A NORTH East councillor has been ordered to pay almost £40,000 worth of debts to the council he sits on.

- DANIEL HOLLAND

> Northumberland Reform councillor Barry Elliott

Barry Elliott, a Reform UK council-lor, appeared in court yesterday in relation to tens of thousands of pounds worth of business rates and council tax arrears to Northumberland County Council, dating between 2020 and 2025.

Coun Elliott, a property developer who was elected in the Newsham ward in Blyth earlier this year, had applied to Newcastle's Civil & Family Courts to have a statutory demand served against him by the council set aside.

The Reform UK councillor told the hearing he was not seeking to avoid paying due taxes but alleged that some of the council’s figures were “totally wrong”.

His appeal was dismissed, with a judge ruling that the total liabilities of £38,499.59 “are payable and they ought to be paid”.