It turns out that some of the Labour-run councils that are most inclined to complain about cuts in grants from central Government are the very same councils with the worst record for Council Tax collecton. The council with the biggest single amount of uncollected tax is Liverpool with £108 million of arrears (equivalent to £500 for every dwelling in Liverpool).
The worst collection rate in England for 2010-11 is the London borough of Newham (a non-collection rate of 8.3% of net collectable debit), followed by Manchester, Salford, Southwark and Barking and Dagenham.
The official figures have been disclosed as a result of a Parliamentary Question by Helen Jones MP.
Local Government and Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said:
"Labour has a culture of waste that runs from the very top of their party right down to the councils they run.
"This roll call of shame is familiar reading with Labour councils year in year out topping the table of local authorities who squander millions by failing to collect our council tax.
"If these Labour authorities stopped complaining about the legacy of cuts left by their own party and actually chased up these council tax dodgers they could use the money to protect hundreds of frontline jobs."