.png) |
As we have reported, the Labour-run Southampton City Council failed to respond in time to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request over councillors in council tax arrears. It also failed to do so, given an extra week.
For transparency, we now publish the full request, and ask you to note that on Friday 3rd April 2026, it will be a full ten days after the 20 day legal deadline.
Andrew Pope, who submitted the request, and has chased and only received apologies instead of the information, says:
 |
| Andrew Doing Safety Checks for Cyclists and Motorists in Redbridge Photo: Andrew Pope |
"What do you think about this?
Do you think that the Council might be trying to hide something?
Do you think they should be allowed to not respond?
Do you think that we should report them to the Information Commissioner's Office, who regulate FoIs?"
The full request reads:
-
All correspondence between officers, councillors and members of the public regarding any Southampton City councillors' non-payment of council tax and their inability to vote on council tax setting at the February 2025 Full Council that considered the Budget and associated matters.
All correspondence should include all correspondence, meaning mobile phone calls, emails, letters, text messages and all social media including Whatsapp, Facebook and Twitter.
-
The names of all councillors who did not pay council tax during the Municipal Year of 2024-25, the reasons they gave for non-payment, the amounts they were in arrears, how long they were in arrears, whether they paid up in full or partially, and whether they voted on the council tax setting and associated votes at the 2025 Budget Full Council that set council tax for 2025-26.
-
All actions the Council has taken against any councillor regarding non-payment of council tax, including but not limited to court action and the deduction of the council tax due from their councillor allowance.
- The full details of councillors still in arrears from previous financial years, as in item 2 above."
