ALMOST £1m in unpaid Council Tax has been written off this financial year – including two people who racked up bills for 11 years.

Critics said it was “beyond belief” that Oxford City and Cherwell District councils each let a resident away with not paying the tax for more than a decade.

In total the county’s councils wrote off £963,433 in council tax debts so far this financial year up from £600,872.

Oxford City had won court orders to send in bailiffs and draw up agreements to get its £11,550.29 back against a city resident but eventually had to seek bankruptcy.

It ruled out seeking a prison term and only began bankruptcy proceedings in April 2006, 10 years after the person – who has not named – first defaulted.

But it wrote off the entire debt last year when it became clear there was “no prospect” of getting the cash.

Cherwell District Council also wrote off £11,651.69 over a 1999 to 2010 debt but it refused to reveal any details over the resident or what actions it took over the years.

Oxford Green Party group leader David Williams said: “I have been a councillor for 26 years and I have never known a case like that (in the city). It is beyond belief.

“It is an incredible amount of time before they got to grips with it.

“It is ridiculous and an insult to the people who get letters a few months after they have not paid their council tax.”

“They are pursuing them but this person has got away with it.”

Since April 2010, the city council has won almost 9,000 court orders to force families to pay up.

It then has options to get the cash, including taking funds from wages or benefits, bailiffs, proceeds from home sales and prison.

In its case, the city council said the resident did not have an income, was not drawing benefits and money from selling the property was “not an option”. It would not explain why.

“Sporadic” payments were made but court orders had to be sought most years.

Spokesman Louisa Dean said pursuing a prison sentence was uncommon, adding: “In this particular case it wasn’t appropriate. I can’t go into details. Normal recovery processes and procedures were followed.”

The council refused to identify the property or persons concerned, citing “data protection” reasons.

The cost of write-offs in the city went from £228,000 in 2009/10 to £680,000 in 2010/11 and £643,000 so far this financial year.

City council deputy leader Ed Turner blamed the recession, and said: “More people are going bankrupt.”

He said debts were still pursued after being written off and about 98 per cent of Council Tax is collected.

TaxPayers’ Alliance campaign director Emma Boon said the 11-year debts were “unfair on those who pay their fair share and means there is less cash for frontline services”.

Cherwell’s write-off costs have risen from £176,843 in 2009/10 to £207,527 so far this financial year.

Finance boss Ken Atack said: “It is an indication of bad times.”

But Vale of White Horse District Council’s write-off costs fell from £61,378 in 2009/10 to £57,150 in 2010/11, to £14,588 so far this financial year.

South Oxfordshire District Council saw write-offs go from £82,706 in 2009/10 to £30,024 and £50,562 in following years.

West Oxfordshire District Council write-offs were £51,945, £50,444 and £47,756 during this time.