Aberdeenshire's outstanding council tax debt tops £42.5m

Two Aberdeenshire households each owe nearly £60,000 in unpaid council tax as bosses reveal a mountain of outstanding debt.

Dating back to 1993, more than £42.5 million is owned to the council.

A freedom of information probe by The Press and Journal uncovered the mounting unpaid council tax, showing a trio of residents with individual bills of more than £50,000 to be paid.

Our investigation also reveals which towns and villages across the region owe most collectively.

Aberdeenshire’s largest town is on the hook for the biggest unpaid council tax tab, with Peterhead and its surrounding towns and villages due a combined £10.35m.

Aberdeenshire Council made unpopular cuts as chiefs gave up on more than £1m in council tax

Aberdeenshire Council was forced to slash tens of millions from public spending this April, including letting go of all its school crossing patrollers and gutting speech and language therapy support.

Since April 2020, roughly £1.7m in council tax debt has been written off in Aberdeenshire.

Five individual Aberdeenshire addresses in most council tax debt

The highest sum owed by any one household in Aberdeenshire is £59,701.

We can’t say exactly where the property in question is. It could be in Newmachar, Blackburn, Kinellar, Hatton of Fintray or Whiterashes.

Road into Blackburn, Aberdeenshire. — The Aberdeenshire household with the largest outstanding council tax bill could be in Blackburn… Image: Chris Sumner/DC Thomson

The uncertainty is because finance officials at the local authority have sought to protect the identities of their debtors, providing only the first five characters of their postcode: AB21 0.

The rest of the top 10 individual household council tax bills in Aberdeenshire:

AB43 7, Fraserburgh, Strichen, Memsie, Sandhaven, Rosehearty or New Aberdour – £58,837.09
AB21 0, Another in the same postcode as our largest debt – £52,886.47
AB41 8, Ellon, Tipperty or Collieston – £49,723.11

The Fettercairn Arch. Image: Paul Glendell/DC Thomson
AB12 4, Portlethen – £49,350.33
AB39 3, Stonehaven, Newtonhill, Cammachmore, Netherley or Muchalls – £48,328.97
AB54 4, Huntly, Rhynie, Lumsden, Kennethmont, Gartly, Cairnie or Ruthven – £40,705.88
AB34 5, Aboyne, Kincardine O’Neil, Dinnet, Dess or Birse – £35,466.65
AB39 2, Stonehaven or Catterline – £34,725.80
AB51 7, Inverurie, Monymusk, Midmar, Tillyfourie or Sauchen – £34,567.36

How much council tax is owed collectively in Aberdeenshire?

Residents in the AB42 postcode area – which covers a large area including Peterhead, Cruden Bay, Mintlaw, Maud, Hatton and St Fergus – owe the most council tax collectively.

They have accrued a £10.3m debt with Aberdeenshire Council, with the regional total coming to £45,406,514.11.

Here’s the full list of council tax debt across Aberdeenshire:

AB12 Banchory Devenick, Maryculter, Portlethen – £1,383,024.60
AB15 A sought-after postcode, mainly covering western Aberdeen – £9,661.37
AB21 Blackburn, Hatton of Fintray, Kinellar, Newmachar, Whiterashes –
£1,141,734.33
AB23 Balmedie, Belhevie, Potterton, Whitecairns – £525,729.69
AB30 Laurencekirk, Fettercairn, Marykirk, Luthermuir, Auchenblae, Fordoun – £1,121,664.30

The Fettercairn Arch. Image: Paul Glendell/DC Thomson

AB31 Banchory, Lumphanan, Strachan, Torphins, Crathes, Drumoak – £1,472,527.48
AB32 Westhill, Kirkton of Skene, Echt, Dunecht – £1,147,168.07
AB33 Alford – £674,437.63
AB34 Aboyne, Kincardine O’Neil, Dinnet, Tarland – £796,457.23
AB35 Ballater, Crathie, Braemar, Balmoral – £316,018.96
AB36 Strathdon – £57,741.62
AB39 Stonehaven, Newtonhill, Muchalls – £2,570,953.45

Aerial view of Stonehaven. — Stonehaven from above. Image: Paul Glendell/DC Thomson

AB41 Ellon, Tarves, Pitmedden, Methlick – £2,377,913.14
AB42 Peterhead, Mintlaw, Cruden Bay, Maud, Hatton, St. Fergus – £10,346,715.06
AB43 Fraserburgh, Rosehearty, Strichen, Crimond – £6,903,235.51
AB44 Macduff – £929,000.34AB45 Banff, Gardenstown, Portsoy – £2,304,418.15

Banff Bridge, Banff in Aberdeenshire. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson
AB51 Inverurie, Kemnay, Kintore, Oldmeldrum, Rothienorman – £5,423,482.86
AB52 Insch – £601,244.95
AB53 Turriff, Fyvie, New Deer – £1,650,619.49
AB54 Huntly, Aberchirder, Lumsden – £2,359,993.64
AB55 a small south-eastern sliver of the Keith, Dufftown postcode in Moray – £276.66
AB56 eastern edge of the Buckie and Cullen postcode in Moray – £15,200.10
DD9 The very southern edge of the Mearns – £80,379.75
DD10 St Cyrus, Inverbervie, Johnshaven, Gourdon – £1,196,915.73

Aberdeenshire Council explains steps taken to claw back cash

The local authority stressed that the sums also include water and sewerage fees.

A spokesman also clarified that, over the 2023-24 financial year, the collection rate is a healthy 99.65%.

They added: “We would encourage anybody experiencing difficulties in paying their council tax to contact us as early as possible to avoid falling into arrears.

“Customers can request to pay over 12 instalments rather than 10 if preferred, and we are happy to discuss payment arrangements to help customers reduce any outstanding balance.”

Learn more about support for residents struggling to pay council tax.

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