Waterlooville Man Jailed for Dodging £2,200 in Council Tax
Matthew Simpson, from Wecock in Waterlooville, has been slammed with a 70-day jail term after racking up over £2,200 in unpaid council tax. The debt, owed to Havant Borough Council, stretches from April 2013 to March 2016 totaling £2,236.70.
Dodged Payments Backfire at Portsmouth Court
At Portsmouth Magistrates on 25 November, Simpson faced the music for repeatedly ignoring payment plans. The court found him guilty of wilful refusal to pay council tax and handed down the prison sentence.
Council Cracks Down on Cheeky Tax Dodgers
Councillor Philippa Gray, Cabinet lead for Finance at Havant Borough Council, warned:
“Local authorities have a responsibility to recover unpaid council tax and going to court is very much a last resort. We will take action in the rare circumstance that we feel someone is deliberately avoiding paying, as this has an impact on residents who do pay. Our advice to anyone who is experiencing difficulty in paying their council tax is to contact us as early as possible so that we can help and advise them.”
Where does Your Council Tax Actually Go?
Havant Borough Council collects council tax not only for itself but also on behalf of Hampshire County Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner, and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service. Yet, the council only keeps 11% of the total collected.
