ARREARS on a Cheshire East councillor’s tax bill ruled him out of voting on this year’s budget.

A freedom of information request has revealed Cllr Rob Moreton, who is an independent representative for the Congleton East ward, was issued a liability order to pay £663.10 in council tax in 2019/20.

Cllr Moreton sent apologies to February’s council meeting, and told the LDRS in a statement: “I did not attend February council due to my daughter having a hospital appointment that day.

“If I had not needed to look after my daughter I would have attended the meeting, but declared my arrears and not taken part in the budget debate.”

CEC confirmed that Cllr Moreton’s account has now been cleared.

Cllr Moreton, first elected in 2019, is a member of the Independent Group, which forms half CEC’s majority coalition with Labour.

By law, councillors are banned from voting on finance motions if their council tax account has been in arrears for two consecutive months or more.

If they fail to declare their arrears and vote, they can then be liable for prosecution and face a £1,000 fine.

Councils have the power to deduct council tax arrears from a members’ allowance, at the rate of 40 percent per payment, until their account has been cleared.

However, authorities can only exercise this right once a liability order has been granted by Magistrates.

In 2019/20, each elected CEC councillor received a sum of £12,351 per annum as a basic allowance — which can be taxed — with further remuneration being granted if more than one position was held.

For example, the CEC leader would expect to receive another £28,371, and the chair of a planning committee could welcome £7,650.

Councillors can also claim back expenses for services such as travel and subsistence.

CEC’s next full council meeting will be on October 21 at 11am, and will be streamed live on the authority’s website.