FOUR serving councillors on East Lothian Council fell behind on council tax payments and one was issued with a summary warrant.

The councillors owed more than £5,500 between them, with one, who was issued with three reminders and a summary warrant one year, falling into debt again the following year.

The local authority said that all but one of the councillors who had fallen into debt were part of the previous council (2012-2017) and left at the 2017 council elections.

A spokesperson added that none of the current serving councillors owed any council tax this year.

The revelations came as part of a nationwide investigation into elected councillors who were not paying their council tax.

A report by Newsquest’s Data Investigation Unit found that more than 2,400 demands were sent to councillors across the United Kingdom between 2015 and 2018, with more than 320 summary warrants issued by courts for payment.

In East Lothian, the local authority said that there were not council tax debts registered against any of its current serving councillors, who are all up to date with their payments.

And they said of those who had been sent reminders for outstanding payments, only one of the unnamed councillors was still serving and no longer owed any money.

Councillors who are behind in council tax payments can find themselves banned from voting on financial decisions taken by elected members.

A council spokesperson said: “Normal penalties for non-payment of council tax apply as for any other resident.

“In addition, if a councillor has more than two months’ outstanding council tax at the time of budget setting they are not allowed to participate in the budget process and setting of council tax.”

The findings from East Lothian Council, which were issued under a Freedom of Information request, saw one councillor, labelled Councillor A, sent a reminder for a debt of £219.15 in 2015/16, while a Councillor C received two reminders in 2016/17 for the full year at £899.21 plus a penalty of £89.21.

A Councillor D, who is still serving, was sent a reminder in 2017/18 after falling behind by £187.

However, a Councillor B was sent a reminder in 2016/17 for an outstanding debt of £2,627.64, as well as receiving a summary warrant for that year’s full amount of £1,139.72 and reminder notice charge of £91.72.

The same Councillor B received a final notice for the year of 2017/2018 full amount of £1,350.41.

All funds owed to the council by all councillors had been paid in full when the information was released.