MORE than £400,000 has been written off in council tax debts in the first two quarters of this year.

Council chiefs say there were more than 1,200 cases in Blackburn with Darwen where such accounts could not be collected for a host of reasons.

In a similar exercise reported last December, the total amount for write-offs was just £285,000.

The largest proportion, owing £195,598, was bill payers in 339 cases who were said to have either 'absconded' or 'gone away'.

Another 491 accounts, with £89,978, were classified as 'irrecoverable' for other reasons.

Bankruptcy was given a reason in 105 cases (for £84.851 owing) - and 66 deceased people's bills were closed (£63,935).

One account alone owed £6,661 but this was said to also be 'irrecoverable'.

Just five cases of outstanding business rates, for just £3.43, has been reported.

Fourteen housing benefit overpayments, totalling a little more than £18,000, has also been written off due to insolvency, death and other difficulties.

Two other overpayment cases, for £18,839, have each been ruled as a 'local authority error'.

Borough finance director >>>> >>>> said in a report: "In arriving at a decision to write off a debt, officers must pursue a rigorous process to establish whether funds can be recovered before concluding as a last resort, that the debt is deemed to be irrecoverable.

"The companies identified in this report have been pursued as appropriate using all available recovery and enforcement methods. Unfortunately it has not been possible to recover the money owed, and the only option available is to write the debts off.

"All accounts have been actively pursued with all recovery options being considered and exhausted.

"In the case of debts from deceased persons, it has been confirmed the estate has no funds available to discharge the debt.

"The bankrupt cases have been verified with the Insolvency Service / practitioners with claims made for the outstanding debts if applicable.

"All absconded accounts have also been subject to the various tracing methods including Experian checks and review on social media.

"Debts can, and are written back on and pursued in certain circumstances. These will include absconded debtors and where new information comes to light."

Councillors have been told the total amount for write off is £479,687, which will be funded by the council’s bad debt provision.

This leaves bad debt provisions of £11,007,042 for council tax, £1,273,017 for business rates, £1,886,865 for benefit overpayments and £6,776,571 for sundry debts.