Council apologises after hundreds of residents receive court summons for unpaid council tax in error

The leader of the opposition at Harborough District Council has called for an investigation after the local authority sent 700 residents a summons for unpaid council tax by mistake.

Harborough said the letters were sent without the required reminder letter being sent beforehand.

According to a report from the BBC, the council sent out the letters dated to 15 July warning residents they faced a court hearing on 18 August.

The district council has since written to the recipients to inform them of its mistake and apologise. The summonses will also be cancelled.

Liberal Democrat and leader of the opposition at Harborough, Cllr Phil Knowles, has called for an investigation, the BBC reported.

Cllr James Hallam, Harborough District Council’s Cabinet lead for Finance, said: “Unfortunately, residents who were in arrears with their Council tax have received a summons, without a reminder notice being issued first.

“All those who received a summons in error have been written to advising that it has been withdrawn. We understand that residents who received a summons will have found this distressing and we apologise to those affected.”

Harborough recently decided to increase council tax by £5 a year per household in order to tackle a budget deficit left by unforeseen costs of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Adam Carey

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