COUNCILS in Notts are owed more than £27 million in council tax.
Figures revealed by the Post today show that some of the money dates back as far as 1993 but the bulk stems from the past five years.
There is more than £9.5 million still outstanding from last year alone.
Nottingham City Council has the largest amount of unpaid tax owed to any council in Notts – a total of £15.5 million.
The news comes as councils across the county are having to make huge cuts to their budgets. Liz Silver, of Notts Disabled People's Movement, said: "Every penny the city council is not being able to recoup is going to have an effect on services."
Georgina Culley, leader of the Conservative group on the city council, said people who paid their bills would find it "galling" so much was left uncollected.
The Labour-controlled council's deputy leader, Councillor Graham Chapman, said: "No company ever collects all of its debt. We're currently collecting around 97.5 per cent and doing that despite a recession. We don't give up on the other 2.5 per cent. We are doing our best to pursue it."
