AT a time when they need to make millions of pounds in savings, two councils are owed around £16,132,000 in unpaid taxes.

Official figures for uncollected council taxes and uncollected non-domestic rates for 2009/10 from an analysis by the public services union GMB, reveal Greenwich Council is owed £6,743,000.

Lewisham Council is owed a staggering £9,389,000, the sixth highest figure for London councils.

GMB Regional Secretary for London Paul Hayes said: “This level of uncollected local taxes can not be accepted at a time when there are deficits in the public finances which are giving rise to cuts in public services and job losses at a time of high unemployment.”