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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Lucy Jackson

Four Glasgow councillors fail to pay thousands in council tax

FOUR councillors in Scotland's largest local authority failed to pay thousands of pounds in council tax.

Glasgow City Council named the four elected officials who were in arrears as of September 5, plus the sums they owed, in response to a freedom of information request.

One of the councillors paid off his debt of almost £1400 after the information was made public.

The others are now the subject of debt recovery and have since made payments to reduce their bills.

The figures, originally obtained by the Mail on Sunday, showed that among those in arrears is Roza Salih (below) – who is part of Glasgow City Council's SNP administration.

She made headlines in 2022 when she became the first refugee elected to the council, having campaigned for the rights of refugees since she was a teenager with the activist group the Glasgow Girls.

By September, the Kurdish councillor for Greater Pollok owed £1210 in council tax, although The National understands Salih has since settled her bill.

Salih said: “This was an unfortunate oversight which has now been resolved.”

The list also features Greens councillor Blair Anderson. Figures show the Partick East representative owed £1386 in council tax but he moved swiftly to clear the debt.

Anderson said: “As soon as I was made aware of this issue, I immediately paid the outstanding amount, and I have now paid my council tax for the entire 2024-25 tax year in full.”

Fellow Greens councillor for Southside Central Elaine Gallagher owed £1540, reducing her total bill by £148 as of October 1.

Labour councillor Jill Pidgeon, who sits on the planning applications committee, arranged a repayment plan as she owed £2249.

She told the BBC: “There is now £899 left to pay.

“I am paying in instalments, and it will be paid by January, the same as most citizens who pay by direct debit.”

Gallagher has been contacted for comment.

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