FORMER Peacehaven mayor Robbie Robertson and Rother District Councillor Gennette Stevens have faced the music after they were pulled up for not paying the council tax.

The residents in the wards they represent will no doubt not look to kindly on them for the way they only agreed to pay after going to court.

Councillor Robertson's statement that council tax was low on his list of priorities will raise some eyebrows.

He makes a valid point when he says “If people can’t afford it, they can’t afford it”.

But sadly the revenue departments of our councils do not see it that way and they chase us for the cash, as he found out.

So his residents may well be surprised and that is fair enough.

But at least these two councillor have been named and spoke to The Argus honestly yesterday.

Sadly the same cannot be said for the other 14 councillors who were caught out and received reminders or court summons for not paying council tax last year.

Brighton and Hove City Council is protecting those who did not pay.

The councillors decide on any council tax rate rises, yet we cannot be told which of them decided personally on a 100 per cent cut and stick to it.

One councillor was given a summons and another was given a reminder. That's all we know sadly but we should know more - what happened in these cases.

Then the councillors concerned can speak out and give their reasons.

Is that not better than the city's residents knowing that among the ranks are those who were either unwilling or forgot to pay.

On the whole councillors are in their roles as they genuinely want to help the city. Some people have a different view to that and this kind of secrecy does not help to break that down.