POLL tax arrears have dipped below £2 million in Burnley for the first time - four years after the community charge was phased out.

Latest figures show the council's finance unit is still raking in the unpaid tax and continuing to pursue non-payers.

More than £326,000 has been collected since last April, leaving an end-of-January total of £1.975m still outstanding.

A report to Burnley Council finance committee shows that more than 1,200 cases were taken to magistrates' courts, of which 186 were withdrawn after the debts were paid in full.

Some 543 cases have been adjourned and attendance warrants issued.

The report shows total council tax arrears for the past three years stands at £1.9 million.

More than 85 per cent of this year's charge has been paid but the council has still been forced to issue more than 9,000 summonses for non-payment.

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