WARRINGTON Borough Council has written off more than £1.5m worth of debts owed to it because of non-payment of housing benefits and tax debts.

The council will write off £1,644,198.04 of unrecoverable council tax debts, housing benefit over payments and other income.

Council tax debts from the period of 2004-2009 totalling £1,371,301.76 will be written off, as well as £245,395.25 of miscellaneous debts and £27,494.93 of housing benefit over payments.

In many cases the debtor has died or left the Warrington area with no trace.

Lynton Green, director of finance and information services at Warrington Borough Council, said: “The council maintains a fantastic record of collecting a high proportion of council tax and other incomes but it is inevitable that occasionally we have to write off some debts.

“Residents should be reassured the council takes every action available before writing off debts which it is no longer economical to pursue.”

Annually, the council collects around £92m in council tax, £54m in miscellaneous income and £2m in housing benefit overpayments.

The figures will be delivered in report which is to be reviewed by the council’s audit and corporate governance committee at a Town Hall meeting on Thursday night.