Around £6 million is still to be collected in council tax and business rates in Wolverhampton for last year, it has emerged.

But local authority chiefs are pleased with how much they have managed to amass into council coffers.

New figures released by Wolverhampton City Council say in 2008/2009, £72.9m has so far been collected in council tax out of £76.2m – which equates to 95.7 per cent.

In business rates, £68.9million has so far been collected out of £72.1million, which equates to 95.6 per cent.

The previous financial year the council collected 96 per cent of council tax and 97.9 per cent in business rates.

Tory councillor Wendy Thompson, cabinet member for finance, said: “I think under the circumstances, the collection rates for council tax and business rates are remarkably good.”