Tens of millions owed to region's councils in unpaid tax

Walsall is owed some £20.3 million, with Sandwell owed £23.3 million, Wolverhampton £14.7m, Dudley £8.7m, Cannock £6m and Stafford £4.4m.

The figures are only expected to worsen with all the councils listed having raised their council tax for the current financial year.

Sandwell Council has defended its spiralling figure, arguing that it does not write off debt like other councils.

Leader of the council, Councillor Steve Eling, said: "Sandwell has recently been confirmed as the best performing metropolitan borough for council tax collection in 2015/16, along with Solihull, with a collection rate of 98.5 per cent.

"I am proud that we have a very good collection rate for council tax and that we are very persistent in pursuing those who have not paid it – no matter how long that may take.

"We never write debts off unless they are genuinely unrecoverable, which isn't the case everywhere else."

Walsall Council also cited its write-off policy. Councillor Diane Coughlan, the portfolio holder for social care, said: "Walsall Council tax debt recovery is looked at in line with individual circumstances.

"Different councils employ different 'write-off' arrangements and in Walsall this write-off falls significantly below other West Midlands metropolitan councils."

Wolverhampton Council said it 'rigorously pursues' all council tax non-payers, with a spokesman adding: "Our collection performance is good and figures have to be viewed in context. £14.6 million represents 0.1 per cent of the £1,400m of council tax which has been due for collection over that time period."

In Stafford the council has said they will take 'all measures necessary' to retrieve the outstanding money.

Bob Kean, the head of finance for Cannock Chase District Council, explained to the Express & Star that the figures were a marked improvement on the previous year.