IT has been revealed that both Perth and Kinross and Fife Council are still chasing residents for £94 million in unpaid Council Tax since it was introduced in 1993.

When the total deficit is broken down per person, Fife Council is due £190.60 per head and Perth and Kinross £161.37.

In 2015-16, for Scotland as a whole, the total amount of Council Tax billed was £2.115bn, of which £2.025bn was collected.

According to a Scottish Government spokesman in-year collection rates across the country have improved steadily from 87.2 per cent in 1998-99 to 95.7 per cent in 2015-16.

Commenting Murdo Fraser MSP, for Mid Scotland and Fife said: “This is a staggering amount of money to be left unpaid. Where people are wilfully avoiding paying Council Tax Local Authorities in both Perth and Kinross and Fife must clamp down on them.

“For those that are struggling to pay I would encourage them to seek help from their local council as they could be due assistance in the form of Council Tax reduction.

“Local Authorities across Scotland are experiencing serious spending constraints and I would encourage them to up their efforts to claw back missing tax before considering hiking the rates for existing bill payers.

“Council tax isn’t something people can just decide not to pay, it’s crucial in funding services upon which everyone depends and the Scottish Government has a role to play in helping local authorities chase up unpaid tax.”