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."

Cheshire East 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 Cheshire East's majority coalition with Labour.

The ward councillor recently spoke to the community about debt.

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.

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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.