Hertfordshire County Council is owed more than £34 million in overdue payments, according to figures presented to councillors.

And more than £14 million of that has been outstanding for more than nine months.

The data was presented to members of the county council’s resources and performance cabinet panel on Wednesday (February 12), as part of a report on the council’s latest financial position.

And it relates to snapshot figures from December 31, marking the end of the the third quarter of the 2019/20 financial year.

It indicates that, on December 31, £5.76 million of the payments owed were one month or less overdue – with debtors having been sent a reminder notice.

A further £6.45 million of payments owed were reported to be between one and three months overdue,  £7.85 million between three and nine months overdue and £14.15 million more than nine months overdue.

Total money owed to the county council, it was reported, had increased by £2.76 million to £57.38 million in the three months between September and December 2019.

However the figures show that £23.17 million of that was within the agreed payment term and therefore not yet due for repayment.

According to the report to the cabinet panel, ‘active debt recovery’ is in progress or being considered for all debts in excess of one month overdue.

Following the meeting, a spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council stressed that much of the £57.38 million owed to the county council that was highlighted in the report was not yet due for payment.

He said: “We receive over £140 million of income a year, mainly from fees to social care clients, commercial income and income from partners.

“The information in the finance monitor report shows all of the income that we have invoiced for as at the end of December, although much of that is not yet due for payment.”

According to the council £7 million of the overdue payments at this point related to ‘health partners’ – although at least £2.6 million of this was paid just a few days later.

The county council spokesperson said: “Out of the £57 million quoted in the table, just over £25 million relates to sums owed by health partners.

“Of this, some £18 million is not yet due for payment as it is within 30 days of the invoice date and therefore within payment terms.

“In some other areas payments have been made between the end of December and the timing of the report to panel.

“For example, the report references an increase in CCG debt less than one month overdue of £2.6 million. These sums were paid onJanuary 3.”