People in Allerdale are among the best in the country for paying their council tax, it has been revealed.

Allerdale councillors heard on Wednesday that 97.8 per cent of council tax had been paid up in the last financial year, compared to a national average of 97 per cent.

Councillor Barbara Cannon said the collection rate had risen steadily since 2007-8.

The figures were revealed as Conservative councillors called for a review of the way the authority manages its council tax collections.

Coun Colin Sharpe expressed concern that around £2.5 million in unpaid council tax was outstanding at the end of July.

While recognising it was important to assess why bills were not paid, Coun Sharpe said the shortage of money resulting from non payment would affect services provided by councils and the police.

He added: "There has to be an imperative to manage all income streams appropriately."

Coun Sharpe called for a scrutiny review of the authority's council tax management.

His call was seconded by Coun Tony Annison, who said: "What we suggest is using process management systems where we can target problems in real time."

The Conservative group highlighted that more than half of the outstanding money was owed by residents of Workington and Maryport.

The council's Labour administration responded by clarifying that the figures represented 14 years' worth of arrears, and Workington and Maryport were the most populated parishes in the borough.

Coun Cannon, executive member responsible for finance, said the council's auditors had raised no concerns about its tax collection procedures.

Steps are in place to recover outstanding council tax where possible.

As previously reported, a total of £2,656,434.36 was outstanding from council tax bills covering the period between April 2001 and March 2015.

While the largest share of the money - nearly £987,000 - was owed in Workington, the town is also the district's largest parish with 12,233 households.

Maryport, with 5,368 homes, owed more than £500,000, while Cockermouth, with 4,216 households, owed almost £170,000

Aspatria, with 1,340 homes, owed around £111,500.

Keswick’s arrears are just over £97,000 in a town of 2,560 homes.

However, the highest rate of average arrears was in Holme Abbey, which has 343 households and owed £37,722.46 – an average of £109.98.

Allonby had the second highest rate, with an average of £96.19.

Maryport was third highest at £94.10 per household.

The figures meant that, split between the 46,051 homes in the borough, an average of £57.68 was owed per household.

Coun Alan Smith, council leader, said the deficit had reduced to about £2.2 million at the end of October.

Coun Mark Fryer, deputy leader, called on fellow councillors to focus on key issues affecting people in the borough, such as proposed cuts to police budgets and health services.

Councillors voted 28 to 15 against launching a review of the council tax management system.