A Barnet politician has been summonsed to court for failing to pay a £1,400 council tax bill.

Barnet Council has refused to reveal the identity of the councillor, citing data protection, but he or she is one of at least six elected representatives who failed to pay their council tax bill on time last year.

A Freedom of Information request revealed the authority had to send out nine letters of reminder for outstanding bills to its members, two of whom were summonsed between January 1, 2013, and January 31, 2014.

One of those has since paid their outstanding bill of £450, but another council member still owes £1,416.

Barnet Council was heavily criticised in 2009 for failing to collect more than £9million in unpaid council tax.

The ruling Conservative group decided earlier this year to cut the council tax rate by one per cent in the 2014/15 election year, despite continuing to slash budgets elsewhere.

The Times Series has asked Barnet Council and the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat group leaders for a comment.