Latest news with #Bath&NorthEastSomersetCouncil
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Historic English cities demand right to impose tourist tax
Bath and Cambridge are urging the government to allow them to introduce tourist taxes, becoming the latest in a string of English destinations seeking similar levies. While Scotland and Wales have granted their councils the ability to tax tourists, at present the UK government has no law giving English local authorities the power to impose visitor levies. In recent months, an increasing number of cities and popular destinations around England have been voicing their eagerness to introduce similar tourist taxes. Bath and Cambridge are among the latest, having joined forces in urging Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner to consider passing a visitor levy law in England. The two cities attract hordes of tourists every year, with visitors drawn to Bath's Roman-built baths and Georgian architecture, while Cambridge appeals to visitors with its world-renowned university and pretty city centre. In a letter sent to Ms Rayner, the leaders of Bath & North East Somerset Council and Cambridge City Council state that their 'destination' cities are under growing amounts of pressure when it comes to tourism. They note that the number of visitors is putting local infrastructure under strain and increasing demands on services like waste management. The councils are seeking a roundtable with the government to explore ways that they can support sustainable tourism in their cities, including the introduction of 'a modest visitor levy' with revenue that will benefit both residents and visitors. The cities are keen for a similar structure to that which has been applied in Wales and Scotland, whereby levies would be applied across all types of accommodation, including short-term lets like Airbnb. Councillor Kevin Guy, leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, has called for a 'fairer system' that recognises the costs of playing a role in the national visitor economy. He said that the council should be given the tools to manage tourism 'in a way that reflects local needs and priorities', as well as sustain the quality of the city for visitors. Cameron Holloway, leader of Cambridge City Council, said that while it is proud to welcome so many visitors a year, the 'high numbers of tourists ebbing and flowing through our relatively small medieval city centre can have a serious impact on local people, and can detract from the visitor experience'. 'If tourism in historic cities like ours is to remain sustainable and internationally competitive, we need to be given the means to manage the flow of visitors and to address some of the negative impacts of tourism on local residents, public realm, and infrastructure,' he added. The councils also want to explore other ways that sustainable tourism can be upheld in their heritage destinations, while still being able to enjoy the benefits from the visitor economy. Cambridge and Bath have both followed other destinations seeking the powers to impose a tourist tax. This includes Brent, home of Wembley Stadium, which attracts huge crowds and is keen to reinvest the funds from levies in local infrastructure. Oxford has also floated the idea of introducing a tourist tax through a legal workaround, which would involve setting up an Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID) that would allow hotels to charge an extra fee to be reinvested in projects in the area.
ITV News
05-06-2025
- General
- ITV News
Why is the South West building so many new homes when thousands of old ones are empty?
The roof was falling in, water was creeping into the adjoining houses, and the garden was a jungle. No one had lived in the two-bedroom terraced house in Bath's Oldfield Park since 2001. Yet Bath & North East Somerset Council could do little about it, even though it had a housing waiting list of 5,500 people. "There's no specific, standalone law that prohibits a property being left empty," says Debbie Freeman, the council's sole Empty Property Officer. "It only becomes illegal when it starts to have a detrimental impact on other properties. We have to build a really clear case for enforcement; it's really labour-intensive. It can often cost a lot of money to bring cases to court.' With limited powers, it took the council more than a decade of legal wrangling to force the Oldfield Park owner to sell. And B&NES is one of the minority of councils with a dedicated Empty Property Officer. Two thirds of councils don't have anyone tasked with fighting these empty property battles. They used to have. Between 2012 and 2015 English councils got ring-fenced government money under the National Empty Homes Programme to fill up empty houses. They could spend it on officers like Debbie, grants, renovations. But when the money stopped, so did much of the work. An interactive map showing the number of empty homes across the South West According to the campaign group Action on Empty Homes, the number of long-term empty properties in England jumped by a third once the programme ended. It now stands at over 265,000 empty homes: 24,000 of them here in the South West - these are unoccupied, unfurnished homes that have stood empty for more than six months. Councils do have some tools for dealing with them. They can charge extra council tax on vacant properties (assuming they know who owns them - another challenge). They can give grants and VAT discounts to people wanting to renovate. Or they can do what B&NES Council does, and fight court battles. But there is no legal requirement for local authorities to bring empty properties back into use. With stretched budgets, many don't. "Empty homes are an opportunity to deal with the worst aspects of our housing crisis", says Chris Bailey, Campaign Manager at Action on Empty Homes. "Don't leave homes empty when they could be housing people. "They're homes that are in the right places. They're homes that are on your street and my street. They're not built on greenbelt. They're right there where people want to live - in the middle of our towns and cities - and they're going to waste." The government didn't mention empty homes in its manifesto, and it has not talked of reviving the funding to tackle the problem. Instead it has promised to build 1.5 million new houses over this parliament. Legally, it's the easier solution. Politically, it's powerful. But thousands of old homes stand silent and forgotten.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
D-Day veteran's 'unforgettable' 100th birthday
A World War Two veteran who served aboard HMS Fratton during the Normandy campaign and suffered serious injuries has celebrated his 100th birthday. Stan Ford, a long-time resident of Bath and survivor of the D-Day landings, was honoured on Saturday at a community gathering in Keynsham Masonic Hall. Mr Ford suffered a fractured spine and injuries to both legs when the ship was hit by a torpedo and sunk off the coast of Normandy on 18 August 1944. The attack saw 31 people lose their lives, while 38 crew members survived. 'Remarkable' Mr Ford continued to be active in efforts to commemorate those who served in the war. He was named an Ambassador for the British Normandy Memorial in 2022, and his image featured in a life-sized banner as part of the Standing With Giants project. The banner is being displayed at The Guildhall in Bath to coincide with national events marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day. The centenary celebration was attended by family, friends, and local officials, including Councillor Kevin Guy, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council, and Councillor Karen Walker, Chair of the Council. They presented Mr Ford with a Bath Aqua Glass paperweight as a gesture of recognition for his military service and continued community involvement. Councillor Walker described the milestone as "a truly remarkable achievement" and acknowledged Ford's contributions over the years. Councillor Guy called the event "a special and unforgettable celebration." Mr Ford's 100th birthday was marked not only as a personal milestone but also as an opportunity to reflect on the experiences of veterans and the importance of preserving their stories for future generations. [BBC] [BBC] Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Related internet links
BBC News
02-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Bath's Victoria Art Gallery marks 'milestone moment' of 125 years
An art gallery has reopened a section of its exhibition space following conservation work, in celebration of its 125th free-to-visit Upper Gallery at Bath's Victoria Art Gallery is now open to the public after extensive conservation work was carried out to protect the Grade II-listed venue houses Bath & North East Somerset Council's (BANES) collection of public artworks, and pieces by artists such as Paul Klee and Grayson Campbell, BANES head of culture and heritage, said it was a "milestone moment" for a "much-loved" council-owned art space. All of the Victoria Art Gallery is free to enter for residents in the BANES Council area who hold a Discovery Card, and relies on support from visitors and conservation work took place, the gallery team developed The Modelling Room, a dedicated learning and engagement studio for schools and the community. The council said it was "very grateful" for the commitment of its supporters and the individual donor who helped to fund the development of the new space. "We are honouring its important past while investing in its future," Mr Campbell said."The completion of vital conservation work in the Upper Gallery and the launch of our first dedicated learning and engagement space are milestone moments. "We're thrilled to welcome the public back to this much-loved cultural space."The exhibition - First Impressions: Printers' Proofs of Works by Great 20th Century Artists - runs in the Upper Gallery until 6 July.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bath Rugby Submits Updated Plans For New Stadium At The Rec
Bath Rugby has submitted updated plans for the construction of a modern stadium at The Rec, where the team first set up shop in 1894. The updated application includes suggestions from the public, important stakeholders, and Bath & North East Somerset Council (B&NES) after technical aspects were tested last year. The planning committee will review the new project plans over the upcoming New Year. Advertisement Significant improvements that lower the height of the East and West Stadium seating sections are incorporated into the new design. The strategy aims to raise matchday satisfaction without taking away from the neighborhood's unique attractiveness. Tarquin McDonald, the CEO of Bath Rugby, informed the public that his team plans to build a stadium that preserves Bath's historical traditions while providing benefits to the local community. By adding accessibility and achieving sustainability goals for net-zero carbon, the designs preserve key elements of the original proposal while building a stadium with 18,000 seats. The stadium enlargement initiatives generate significant worries because Bath maintains its position as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Advertisement The location of the Recreation Ground places it directly within this area, which holds substantial Roman and Georgian architecture next to the River Avon. The expansion project encounters resistance from Green Party council member Joanna Wright, who alleges that the stadium development threatens the UNESCO status by diminishing the surrounding 'green space.' Bath Rugby maintains its positive outlook even though some community members have concerns about the construction plans. However, the designs add public spaces along the regenerated riverbanks and redesign the East and West Stadium stands to improve the surrounding area. An updated submission illustrates Bath Rugby's future direction by combining the city's historical and modern sporting demands.
