BASILDON Council has had to write off £93,000 owed to it in business rates after it failed to collect from eight firms.

The council had been chasing one defunct firm, which owed £8,564,00, since 2008.

However, officers have been unable to trace the company since it closed. Three other companies were also untracable, while two had gone into liquidation, one had been dissolved and one was in administration.

The council collects the rates on behalf of the Government and they are then passed on and put in a central fund.