More than a dozen north-east councillors have been sent reminders to pay their council tax, the Press and Journal can reveal.
Aberdeenshire Council has admitted 16 elected officials have been sent reminder letters to pay up over the last three years.
The forgetful 16, however, have been spared their blushes as the authority has refused to name them.
And last night, councillors on both sides of the chamber would not be drawn into naming each other as possible offenders.
All 68 members are now up-to-date with payments.
Opposition leader Jim Gifford, however, admitted the “tardy” payments were “disappointing” while pressure group Taxpayers’ Alliance said they would come as a “shock to many” – and that councillors ought to be leading by example.
According to the data, released through a freedom of information request, six councillors were sent reminders in 2012/13 when they were late in paying a total of £1,674.
Another six letters were sent to those owing £1,490 in 2013/14.
And in the last financial year, four councillors were late in paying the £671 they owed.
A spokesman for Aberdeenshire Council last night stressed all payments had been made, adding: “As of the end of the financial year, no Aberdeenshire councillor has an outstanding council tax bill.”
But Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, hit out at the culprits – who earn a basic salary of £16,560, plus mileage and expenses – last night.
He said: “Residents expect their councillors to lead by example, so the news that the council has had to send councillors reminder letters at the taxpayers’ cost will come as a shock to many.
“If any of the politicians are struggling to pay, then maybe it will illustrate to them the problems faced by many of their residents who have seen bills double over the past decade or so. The best way to make sure everyone pays the correct amount on time is to keep the amount low and the payment process simple.”
Mr Gifford, leader of opposition group the Aberdeenshire Alliance, said he was “disappointed” some of his colleagues had needed to be reminded to pay up.
“It’s disappointing people aren’t paying bills as they’re supposed to, but some people are not as quick as others are,” he said.
“One thing I do know for sure is that there were no councillors in council tax debt when we set the budget in February, because if anyone is they aren’t allowed to take part in the meeting. They may be tardy, but they are certainly paying their bills.
“People should pay their bills, and the council is very good at getting people to pay them, whether or not they are councillors.”
However council co-leader Richard Thomson insisted the figures were a reflection on the authority’s “excellent” council tax collection rate, and that they would reassure the public that elected members are not given preferential treatment when owe money.
He said: “Aberdeenshire Council has an excellent council tax collection rate, due in large part to the effectiveness of our collection procedures. I’m sure people will be reassured to learn that councillors get exactly the same prompts and encouragement as anybody else would if their payments fall behind schedule for any reason.”
Council tax in Scotland has been frozen for the last nine years under the Scottish Government.
However, last month Nicola Sturgeon announced the freeze will end next April – allowing councils to increase their charges by a maximum of 3% a year, which could bolster local services by up to £70million.
About 100,000 people across north and north-east Scotland could see their bills rocket by more than £500 under the plans, even if councils do not take the option to increase rates.
