Three Westmorland and Furness Councillors Issued Summons for Unpaid Council Tax with Thousands Still Owed

Councillors will meet in Kendal today to approve Westmorland and Furness council’s budget for the next financial year, and a proposed 4.99% increase in council tax. The ruling Liberal Democrat administration is recommending that the full council approve the rise, which will be paid by households across the district from April. 

Westmorland and Furness councillors, who each receive a basic annual allowance of £13,500—with cabinet members earning an additional £13,000—are responsible for setting the council’s budget and determining the level of council tax residents must pay.

However, following an investigation by the news team at Penrith.Town it has emerged that three elected members of Westmorland and Furness Council have failed to pay their own council tax, with some receiving court summonses and thousands of pounds still outstanding. 

The council has confirmed that Councillor Timothy Bloomer, elected in October 2024 as the Liberal Democrat councillor for Grange and Cartmel, was issued a summons for non-payment of council tax during the 2023/24 financial year, with £2,232.02 outstanding at the time. Bloomer was also late making payments for 2024/25, but the council states there is currently no overdue balance. 

A council spokesperson said that Bloomer now has a "technical query regarding the inclusion of his property in the Council Tax Valuation List," which is being pursued with the Valuation Office Agency. 

However, the council has declined to name two additional councillors  who have also received summonses for non-payment. 

The second councillors referred to by Westmorland and Furness Council as Elected Member 2 failed to pay £715 in council tax during 2023/24, leading to a summons. The outstanding amount was settled by 31 March 2024. 

The third councillors referred to by Westmorland and Furness Council as Elected Member 3 failed to pay £1,128 in council tax for 2023/24, with £1,098 still outstanding and a summons issued.

 The same councillor has also failed to pay £1,675.57 for the 2024/25 financial year, with another summons issued for the full amount that also remains outstanding.

Under Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, any councillor with more than two months' council tax arrears is legally barred from voting on financial matters, including setting the council tax. If affected councillors are present at today’s meeting, they must declare their situation and abstain from voting or could face prosecution for failure to declare.

With council tax bills rising and budgets under pressure, these disclosures raise questions about whether the councillors involved will be permitted to participate in key financial decisions affecting residents across Westmorland and Furness.

Penrith.Town will be reporting live from the council meeting in Kendal from 10am as councillors votes to increase council tax from April.