Solihull Council was forced to write off more than £500,000 in uncollected historic debt, latest figures reveal.

The figures came under the spotlight at the latest meeting of the cabinet portfolio holder for resources decision session on March 23.

At the meeting the portfolio holder, Councillor Bob Sleigh, approved the latest debt write off – for debts over £10,000 – totalling £560,869.

Solihull Council is not alone in having trouble recovering debt and there can be various reasons authorities fail to collect the much-needed cash.

The councillor explained the "private elements" of that debt – which involves council tax, business rate, sundry income and housing benefit – could not be discussed in public leading to those being discussed when the meeting moved into private session.

A senior council officer can sign off unrecoverable debt below £10,000 with this reported back to the cabinet member. The latest officer's report shows a total of £258,755 was written off by this method in the three month period between October and December last year.

The write-offs made by officer Andrew Felton, the council's director of resources, included:

• £125,665 in business rates
• £105,615 in sundry income (items which were invoiced but no cash received)
• £10,066 in rents and leaseholders
• £10,294 in council tax
• £7,115 in housing benefit overpayments

Officers write in the report: "We take a proactive approach to the collection of monies owed to the council.

"Where payment is not forthcoming action to recover debt is taken through the courts and via tracing and collection agents.

"Where no further action can be taken to recover the outstanding balances, these are considered for write-off."

As the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported last year a total of £2,439,533 uncollected debt was written off in the financial year to the end of March 2025.

The total figures for this financial year are set to be scrutinised at a cabinet portfolio holder decision session in the summer.