At least $12,000 has already been spent trying to have the sundry debts paid back by businesses with another $13,000 deemed uneconomic to recover.

Among the debts are unpaid parking fees out at the airport, which councillor Glenn Inglis got a laugh from the chamber about.

"I noticed at the airport I'm obviously going to the wrong counter because there's some outstanding parking fees," he said.

"I thought you had to go to the thing and pay for it with your card and buy your ticket; so how do people have debts with carparking fees at the airport? How do they get out?

"They should still be out there, Mr Mayor.

"I'm just curious because I'd like to know, maybe I can utilise it."

Well-known local businesses were among those owing money to the council but because the process is confidential those names are not publicly available.

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Cr Inglis said it makes it difficult to talk about.

"But, I did notice there's a couple of well-known businesses in town there, not large amounts but a bit odd that we couldn't get the money," he said.

As with all unsecured debts, recovering the money isn't always possible or a cost-effective option, a report to the council said.

Even if a debt has been written off, the council can initiate legal proceedings in future to recover the money.

The amount written-off will be adjusted if all or part of the debt is then recovered.

Councillors decided to write-off the debts on Tuesday.