The Clydebank Post has learned thousands of rate payers, tenants and businesses can’t afford to settle their debts with West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC), leading to a deficit of £13.2 million.

Figures obtained via a freedom of information request show that 3,105 people are currently in rent arrears with WDC, creating a debt of £1.37m. The council is also owed £4.41m for council tax outwith the allowed period for payment.

National non domestic rates, collected on behalf of the Scottish Government, but which are then redistributed to local authorities, also proves problematic, as £3.11m is owed.

People, businesses and agencies who pay the council for additional services (dubbed miscellaneous income) currently owe the council an additional £561,833.

In the past three years an additional £6.07m has been written off across the same four areas of council business.

Independent councillor Denis Agnew says WDC needs to boost the local economy and people’s income through job creation and better wages. “There is a more endemic issue here,” Councillor Agnew said. “We have low wages, zero hour contracts and extreme poverty and what people tend to do, they shy away from dealing with the issue.

“The poverty rate in Clydebank and parts of West Dunbartonshire is far too high; child poverty and deprivation are things we have to address.” Council leader Martin Rooney agreed. He said: “West Dunbartonshire is recognised as one of the areas of relatively high deprivation when compared to the other 31 councils in Scotland. Although we have a higher number of people in work than neighbouring authorities such as East Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde and East Renfrewshire with over 31,000 people in employment, we have a relatively high number of people in low skilled and low pay jobs.

“The real solution to addressing poverty is to redistribute funding on a needs basis and to focus on growing the local economy, investing in education and skills and providing better career opportunities for our residents. The council cannot do this on its own and we need more investment in social housing, infrastructure and a fairer share of available resources from the Scottish Government.” But councillor Rooney said the local authority was getting better at retrieving money from debtors.

Explaining the council collects more than 97 per cent of the potential council tax charges each year, he said council tax collection has improved every year since 2000.

Councillor Jonathan McColl, leader of the opposition, said: “Those who can pay should. The council can only deliver the services people need if we have the money to do so. Whether that means getting the right funding through government or having those who owe us directly paying, it all goes to the same thing; service delivery. If people are having problems, you have to tell us and let us help you. If we know there’s a problem we can stop making it worse and work with you to make things right.” West Dunbartonshire Council is one of only a few councils in Scotland that considers the overall debt of the individual across rent, council tax and other sundry charges and assists residents to pay through an affordable repayment plan.

BREAK OUT: DEBT written off by West Dunbartonshire Council in financial years 2012/13, 2014/14 and 2014/2015 totals £6.07 million across four areas. Rent arrears: £388,427; national non domestic rates: £2.75m; council tax arrears: £2,37m; miscellaneous income debtors accounts: £561,834.

There are several reasons why debt is often not recovered from business and individuals. In the instance of rent and council tax arrears, the individual may have died, or been or moved into residential care, whilst businesses have often gone bust.

People and businesses experiencing financial problems will be offered support from West Dunbartonshire Council officers who will aim to create an affordable repayment plan.