Havering Town Hall

Three Havering councillors were sent final reminders for unpaid council tax in the past two years, new figures show.

The councillors are elected to decide how to spend other residents’ tax – but the Recorder can reveal that a Freedom Of Information request showed that six had to be sent reminders to pay their own.

Four were issued with second reminders, while two were given final reminders in the past two years.

But the names of the representatives will not be revealed because Freedom of Information officers at the council have refused to name those involved because it would breach the Data Protection Act.

The notices were issued to them at various times between December 2010 and December 2012.

All six councillors have since paid off their outstanding council tax and were not taken to court.

Robert Oxley, Campaign Manager of the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: “Councillors failing to pay their council tax on time will hardly inspire the confidence of local residents.

“It’s not surprising that some of them are struggling though, like many households are finding it tough to afford the bill after a decade of Council Tax rises.

“These councillors should be setting an example and paying on time though, not creating more work and costing taxpayers’ money through reminder notices.”

He added that late payments of council tax can prevent the councillor from doing their job.

In March 2009 Cllr Michael Deon Burton could not vote on the council’s budget because his council tax was in arrears.