A Dundee councillor who sits on a board overseeing council tax owes hundreds of pounds to her local authority – in council tax.
Wendy Scullin, Labour’s representative for the Lochee ward, has been named by Dundee City Council as a council tax debtor, owing £577.33.
She is a board member at the Tayside Joint Valuation Board, a body which receives appeals from members of the public who believe they are paying too much in council tax.
Ms Scullin claims her debt dates back 10 years to a “stressful” period in her life.
She also insists her life experience in dealing with authority from a position of vulnerability gives her a “unique perspective” in her work at the Joint Valuation Board.
‘I have an understanding’
She told our sister title The Sunday Post: “I think, having gone through what I have gone through, I have an understanding of how stressful being in contact with the council can be.
“It gives me a unique perspective. I don’t think anyone will judge me unfairly for having a debt from 10 years ago.”
She said she was made homeless after being evicted from a property she was renting, along with all the other tenants in the building.
In its response to a Freedom of Information request, Dundee City Council confirmed her £577.33 debt and said a payment plan is in place “and is being adhered to.”
Under Section 112 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, any councillor with at least two months of council tax arrears is prevented from taking part in Budget votes, and if they participate in any debate or meeting about council tax, they must declare their debt beforehand.
Offences carry a fine of £1000.
Local authority debt
Ms Scullin confirmed she had participated in the Budget meeting in February which set Dundee’s council tax rate for 2024/25.
However, she said that since her debt was historical – and not as a result of two months’ worth of payments – she was not prevented from taking part.
She is just the latest Scottish councillor discovered to have outstanding debts to their own local authority.
In October, Glasgow City Council admitted four serving councillors, from a variety of political parties, were council tax defaulters.
The Sunday Post approached Dundee City Council and the Tayside Joint Valuation Board to ask if – given Ms Scullin’s debt – they considered her to be a suitable member of the board.
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