Independent Network campaigner Andrew Pope has submitted a Freedom of Information request for information on all fifty-one Southampton City Councillors, and whether they paid their Council Tax.
It was accepted on 20th February 2026.
Under the law, public bodies have twenty working days to provide the information.
That time expired on 20th March 2026.
Andrew says:
 |
| Andrew Pope in Shirley Towers in 2026 Photo: Southampton Independents |
"Why the delay? It is required by law that they respond to me now.
When I lived in Somerset for three years between 2019-2022, I found many councillors who had not paid their council tax to the same councils at which they were elected - not for just a month but some over months or even years.
Some were even unapologetic about it, and even brazen, particularly one Green Party councillor.
You can see the results of this investigation and campaigning on the Somerset Independents website.
I accelerated the end of the political career of almost all of those councillors.
I also found some councillors who did not attend the budget setting meeting, where council tax is decided.
Sometimes, there appeared to be a relationship between those who did not attend that meeting to set council tax, and those who had not paid their own council tax.
We will see whether this applies to any Southampton councillors, when the Council finally replies to my request."
Is this lateness unusual at Southampton City Council? No. In October 2025, Jason Lewis of the Daily Echo reported that (emphasis added):
"More than a third of requests for information from Southampton City Council took longer than the statutory deadline.
The local authority received 1,303 requests under Freedom of Information Act and the Environmental Information Regulations in 2024/25.
A cabinet report said across the year just 63 per cent were responded to within the required 20 working days – the council’s target is 90 per cent.
The average time taken for a response to be given was 36 days."
