COUNCIL chiefs have apologised to a single mother after sending her a council tax demand for 1p.

When Sarah Yates opened up the “barmy bill” from Dartford Council she thought it was a joke.

“I really did think someone was having a wind-up, but then I compared to it all the other bills and realised it was genuine. I’ve had to query the odd bill in the past but this is ridiculous,” she said.

Miss Yates, 27, of St Edmunds Road, Temple Hill, said: “What angers me is that they are quick to get every penny they can out of you but when you want someone to sort out the overgrown grass at the bottom of the road nothing happens.“

A Dartford Council spokesman said: “The council wishes to apologise to Miss Yates and has written to her apologising for any inconvenience or distress caused. This is very rare and clearly should not have occurred at all.”