Nine councillors across Cumbria failed to pay their council tax on time last year - with two being taken to court over the arrears.

Carlisle City Council sent out four late payment reminders to elected members, with Eden Council sending out two and South Lakeland Council one.

These unpaid bills were settled soon afterwards, the authorities have confirmed.

But two cases proceeded to court when late payment for council tax was still not received.

These were in relation to Allerdale Councillor Tony Markley - for arrears of £1,353 - an amount now settled in full.

The other case related to Barrow councillor Jillian Heath over a bill of £575.86.

Both have spoken about the situation - and issued advice on how not to get into the same position.

Mr Markley, from Silloth, is also a Cumbria County Council member.

He said there had been a mix up with the bill and that he had paid the amount owing as soon as he had become aware of it.

"We just didn't know it existed before that point," said Mr Markley.
Cllr Tony Markley

"We've set it up on direct debit now so we never have this issue again, and I would advise anyone else to do the same."

A spokesman for Allerdale Council confirmed Mr Markley's outstanding council tax had gone forward to court as a matter of routine.

They said: "We can confirm that all the regular reminders and correspondence was sent out.

"We can also confirm that the amount owed has been paid in full."

The spokesman added: "If people are having any issues paying their council tax then we urge them to contact us as soon as possible."

The case involving Jillian Heath in Barrow had another consequence.

By law, the court case meant Cllr Heath was automatically banned from voting at the council's crucial February budget meeting.

Cllr Heath has now agreed a monthly payment plan with the authority.

All councillors on Copeland Council paid in full and on time.

Across the UK, councils sent out 729 reminders for late payment of council tax last year, information supplied to the magazine Private Eye revealed.

They went on to send out 143 court summons when payment was still not received.

Of these, 85 progressed to a court hearing and 24 across England, Scotland and Wales were barred from voting on behalf of their residents at annual budget meetings at which council tax is agreed for the year ahead.

The figures covered 2016/17.

A spokeswoman for Carlisle City Council confirmed: "Following the reminder letters, the council tax was paid in full. No further action was required."

A spokesman for South Lakeland council said: “We can confirm that one of our councillors was issued with a reminder letter for missing council tax payment/s in the 2016/17 financial year.

"The member concerned complied with the reminder and no further action was required.

"The council recognises there may be many reasons why someone misses a payment and we will always seek to support any resident who is genuinely struggling to pay.

"We would urge anyone in that position to contact us as early as possible so that we can discuss the situation.

"Only when we have exhausted all other options would we take action to recover the debt, but this has not been the case with any of our councillors."

An Eden Council spokesman said: “The payment of council tax is a personal responsibility.

"If people are struggling to pay their council tax we would encourage them to get in touch with us as soon as possible to discuss the issue or speak to organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau for help and support."


Councillors who didn't pay their council tax on time - where are they?

Allerdale Council - One reminder sent and one summons leading to court hearing

Barrow Council - One reminder sent and one summons leading to court hearing

Carlisle City Council - Four reminders sent

Eden Council - Two reminders sent

South Lakeland Council - One reminder sent

Copeland Borough Council - No reminders sent


"I found myself really struggling" - Councillor in arrears offers advice to others

LONGSTANDING Barrow Borough Councillor Jillian Heath has good advice for anyone struggling to pay their council tax - a situation she found herself in last year.

A breakdown of a relationship triggered financial difficulties that made it impossible to pay all of her bills, including council tax.


Cllr Jillian Heath. Now the 57-year-old, who represents Dalton North ward, is urging anyone in a similar position to seek help at an early stage.

"I found myself really struggling," Cllr Heath said.

"I lost my home and had to move and I was on a low income.

"When you are in that situation, and you've got the electric bill to pay and you need to put food on the table, you do what you can.

"I buried my head in the sand for too long," she added.

"I'm still in arrears but I'm slowly getting back on track now with a payment plan."

Cllr Heath was first elected to Barrow Borough Council 12 years ago, before going on to become a member of Cumbria County Council.

With a distinct understanding of the effects of financial hardship for struggling families, she is able to advise residents of her ward on the steps they can take to rectify their situation.

"My advice would be to seek help as early as you can," she said.

"I know it's easier to hide away - this is what you instinctively want to do in this situation, when you are struggling with life in general - but it often makes things harder in the long run.

"Problems won't just go away, you need to step forward and find out how to solve them."


What is council tax?

:: Council tax is a charge for every household that covers services like bin collections, recycling, highways, education and the police.

:: The amount you pay depends on which band has been assigned to your home - Band A carries the lowest charge, Band H the highest.

:: The money is paid to the collecting authority - usually a district or borough council.

:: But these councils keep only a small portion of the money received.