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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Marie Sharp

East Lothian Council writes off over £250,000 in bad debt for last year

East Lothian Council has written off more than £250,000 in debt over the last financial year with most of it unpaid council tax.

A report into bad debts under £50,000 which have been written off revealed more than £171,000 of it was in council tax bills.

READ MORE: East Lothian family house extension rejected amid claims of racism and religious bias

The report revealed more than 100 council tax accounts had been included in the total as well as more than £30,000 in housing benefit which had been overpaid.

The written off debts also included more than £19,000 in unpaid council house rent and a further £20,000 in owed business rates.

More than £16,000 was written off under sundries according to the annual accounts.

A report to councillors records "individual debts, each under £50,000 in value which,for a variety of reasons, could not be collected and have been written off by the council."

It said: "A regular assessment of the outstanding debt is made and a list of debt that is not considered collectable is prepared."

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