Renfrewshire Council will write off more than £1 million of irrecoverable debt – after the move was approved by elected members.

The step will be taken after the recovery of debt from a number of individuals and companies was no longer considered “viable” by finance chiefs.

A total amount of £1,183,362.91 was authorised by the local authority’s finance, resources and customer services policy board.

Councillor Alison Ann-Dowling, Labour group finance spokesperson and representative for Houston, Crosslee and Linwood, said: “[This is] another concerning debt write-off – over £1m this time in non-domestic rates owed to the council.

“I fully support officers taking the most robust efforts to minimise these losses.”

Emma Shields, the council’s strategic service delivery manager, conceded it was “always regrettable” when reports are brought forward for write-off.

She added: “We are obliged legally to write them off in these cases where the companies are dissolved, liquidated, etcetera, because we legally can’t pursue the debts any more, so we have to write those off.

“It is regrettable. It’s a lot of money … I suppose just to have some context around it, we’re billing £129m this year for non-domestic rates and these debts are multi-year but that’s notwithstanding that they are large sums of money, which most people will find very difficult to accept that we’re having to write them off but it is our very last option.”

Financial regulations require that a report on the write-off of sums in excess of £10,000 is submitted to the board for consideration.

A paper authored by Ms Shields said the council has already “pursued” each of the debts in question before adding that it is now “considered prudent” to wipe out the outstanding balance.

It explained: “The debt recovery process involves extensive effort by the council and its collection agents to locate the debtor and recover the debt.

“During this process, a stage can be reached when it is recognised that the recovery of the sums is no longer viable, and it is prudent to write off the recovery of the outstanding liability.

“The council has already pursued each of the debts summarised … through its follow-up cycle and it is considered prudent to write off the outstanding balance.

“The approval for the write-off will enable the council to prudently reflect within the financial accounts an accurate representation of the collectable debt.

“The council continues to monitor the accounts and, where the circumstances of the debtor alter, will instigate further recovery action as appropriate.

“The level of write-off will be contained within the council’s bad debt provision.”

The debts cover council tax (£103,291.53), non-domestic rates (£1,064,386.88) and housing benefit overpayments (£15,684.50).