A Bradford councillor paid £408.79 in unpaid Council tax after a Freedom of Information request revealed the debt.
Someone asked the Council for information. They wanted to know which councillors owed back taxes using the Freedom of Information Act. This was back on January 17, 2025.
The Council admitted one councillor did owe money. The amount was £408.79 in unpaid Council tax, but the councillor paid it all back.
The Council refused to reveal the councillor’s name, citing specific parts of the Freedom of Information Act, which protect private details. Releasing the name would break data protection rules.
They thought about the councillor’s privacy and weighed it against the public’s right to know. Usually, folks don’t expect names released for unpaid taxes. They also considered a past court case which said naming a councillor in similar cases was okay.
However, the court mentioned exceptions in the rules, which are for very compelling personal issues. The Council felt this case was exceptional, believing privacy outweighed public interest in this instance.
The unpaid tax did not prevent the councillor from voting because rules stop voting if tax stays unpaid for two months. Additionally, the Labour government made an announcement. The Labour-led Bradford Council can raise Council tax by 9.99 percent next year.
The Council wanted to raise taxes even higher and sought permission for a 14.99 percent increase. They say the increase would protect public services and save about £5.5 million each year across the next 20 years.