logo
Waverley residents criticise council's CIL review scheme

Waverley residents criticise council's CIL review scheme

BBC Newsa day ago
Surrey residents who believe they were wrongly charged for work done to their houses have voiced concerns over a council scheme to appeal the payments.Waverley Borough Council (WBC) said it would review community infrastructure levy (CIL) bills for residents who thought they had wrongly received the charges after some homeowners claimed they had incorrectly received bills of up to £70,000.But a group of residents have said that the scope of the review system remains clear, claiming they had been told the scheme covers resident and agent errors despite the council website saying it only covers "errors by the council".The council has been approached for comment.
John Crawford, who was hit with a £46,000 CIL for a mobile annexe building in 2021, said: "They need to reverse it immediately."I've lost faith in the local government because I feel like they haven't been prepared to look at it in a fair and logical manner."
Mr Crawford told BBC Radio Surrey that he had the work done shortly after coming out of hospital having suffered a heart attack.The new building allowed his family to help look after him and his wife, who has been diagnosed with dementia since the couple received the CIL bill.WBC launched the discretionary review system on 17 July, which allowed homeowners who can submit appeals if they believe they were incorrectly charged CIL on residential extensions, annexes or self-built properties "due to an error by the council".A spokesperson for the CIL Injustice Group called a lack of clarity "paralysing", adding: "ordinary people, self builders and families improving their homes are left exposed in a process they do not understand and cannot trust".The group called for clarity from the council to confirm whether or not resident or agent error was covered by the review scheme, and explain what remedies were available to them if so.CIL is typically charged to developers as a contribution towards essential infrastructure. However a number of homeowners across Waverley have also faced the charge.The council previously said that, in most cases, it had been correct in issuing the bills, despite anger from homeowners.The exception, it said, was the case of Steve and Caroline Dally who were billed £70,000 for a home extension and given no opportunity to argue their case.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Reading anti-social behaviour clampdown consultation opens
Reading anti-social behaviour clampdown consultation opens

BBC News

time6 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Reading anti-social behaviour clampdown consultation opens

A consultation on plans to clamp down on anti-social behaviour in a town, including aggressive begging and street drinking, has been Borough Council wants to introduce a public spaces protection order (PSPO), which it said would make it easier to stop nuisance behaviour and is supported by Rowland, chair of the council's community safety partnership, said the order would give police officers the power to halt behaviour "that causes residents undue anxiety, nuisance or distress" and urged people to share their consultation is open for responses until 7 September. PSPOs give police and local authorities powers to address anti-social behaviour in public the plans, Thames Valley Police officers would be able to ask people drinking and causing nuisance or disorder to stop and hand over any containers believed to contain would also give the force more powers to stop e-bike and e-scooter riders purposely causing distress or nuisance, the council would make begging subject to enforcement and it would make it an offence to not pick up after your dog. or hold your dog on a lead if ordered to."Street drinking and begging, dog fouling and proper dog control, along with the aggravated misuse of mechanically propelled micro-mobility vehicles such as e-bikes and e-scooters are all issues that are increasingly upsetting residents," said Ms said while a PSPO was not a "panacea to cure all those ills" it was "another very useful tool to allow officers the powers they need to halt the worst of anti-social misbehaviour that causes residents undue anxiety, nuisance or distress". You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.

Police shoot dog in Bedale after officer among two bitten
Police shoot dog in Bedale after officer among two bitten

BBC News

time8 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Police shoot dog in Bedale after officer among two bitten

A dog has been shot dead by police after biting an officer and another person "while running out of control".North Yorkshire Police were called to reports of a man in his 60s being bitten by an Alsatian-type dog while on his way home from a pub in Bedale at 22:50 BST on man and the officer were treated in hospital for bite wounds to their legs.A 64-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of having a dog that was dangerously out-of-control. Following the initial attack in Market Place, officers found the dog at about 11:30 near the town fire station and made "repeated attempts" to bring it under control, before it 01:30, it was tracked down to Queen Anne's Drive, off Firby a vet about 25 minutes away, a firearms officer was instructed to put the dog down due to serious public safety concerns. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.

Protesters oppose one another at London hotel housing asylum seekers
Protesters oppose one another at London hotel housing asylum seekers

The Guardian

time8 minutes ago

  • The Guardian

Protesters oppose one another at London hotel housing asylum seekers

Anti-racism demonstrators have turned out in large numbers outside a London hotel where asylum seekers are being housed to counter-protest against those opposed to it being used as Home Office accommodation. Both groups of protesters gathered near the Thistle City Barbican hotel in Islington, north London. The Metropolitan police said the anti-hotel protest was organised by a number of people under the banner 'Thistle Barbican needs to go – locals say no', but it has since been endorsed by groups from outside the area. Online groups that have voiced support for the protest include Patriots of Britain and Together for the Children. One speaker at the anti-hotel protest, which had a turnout of about 100 people, claimed counter-protesters had been paid by 'the Labour government and the trade unions' to attend. Some of those who gathered across the road from the hotel wore Mega (Make England great again) hats and one man was heard chanting 'Get these scum off our streets' towards the hotel. Directly outside the hotel, hundreds of people attended a counter-protest organised by Stand Up to Racism and supported by the former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is the MP for Islington North, located on the other side of the borough. They far outnumbered the anti-hotel protesters. Some people in the hotel could be seen watching the demonstration from their windows. Sarah Bailey, 63, who is retired, held a sign that said: 'To everyone in the hotel, you are valued, wanted [and] welcome. 'I know somebody that has connections with this hotel. I thought it was so important, because I realised they would be looking out of the windows, that we send a positive sign saying you are all these three things. 'I think it's so important to show people that have come here seeking safety and protection that they are welcome and to stand up to those who scare and bully them,' she said. Pat Prendergast, 21, said: 'I want people to feel safe. I think the [anti-hotel protesters] over there are making people feel unsafe. I want to stand up in solidarity and say that, you know, we want people here.' A separate group of masked protesters, dressed in black and chanting 'we are anti-fascist', appeared from a sidestreet and marched towards the anti-hotel demonstration. Sign up to Headlines UK Get the day's headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion The Met said plans were in place to 'respond to any protest activity in the vicinity of other hotels in London being used to accommodate asylum seekers'. A protest and counter-protest was also due in Newcastle outside the New Bridge hotel on Saturday. There were also posts online advertising a 'For our children, for our future' protest in Newcastle on Saturday outside the hotel. A 'stop the far right and fascists in Newcastle' counter-protest has been organised by Stand Up to Racism at the nearby Laing art gallery. On Friday evening, about 100 people attended a protest outside the Stanwell hotel in Spelthorne. Surrey police said a packet of lit firelighters was thrown at officers at the demonstration. The force added that a man was arrested on suspicion of attempted arson and inquiries were continuing to trace another suspect.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store