Slough council could write off £3m of debt

A Berkshire council could write off more than £3m in unpaid council tax and other bills under new proposals.

Slough borough councillors are considering the policy which would allow the council to stop chasing debts that it considers "unrecoverable".

The money includes amounts ranging from 1p to £40,000, of housing rent, non-domestic rates and council tax.

The council said, under the plans, it would continue to pursue debts that were less than six years old.

Council leader Rob Anderson said: "Sometimes it is not economical to chase debts and, on other occasions, companies have gone bankrupt or council tenants have moved on and we can't trace them.

"Writing it off is simply an accounting action and does not affect in any way our determination to recover all money owed to us."

The authority said the policy also aimed to support vulnerable people who were in debt and support them "professionally and compassionately".