Latest news with #BenMaguire
BBC News
2 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Lack of Devon and Cornwall transport funding criticised
The government has been accused of leaving Devon and Cornwall behind in terms of transport Rachel Reeves announced £15.6bn of funding for transport projects across parts of England including Greater Manchester, the Midlands, West England and Yorkshire on and business leaders based in Devon and Cornwall have criticised the government for overlooking the region after no money was earmarked for projects in either Department for Transport (DfT) said it was committed to delivering infrastructure that would boost the whole country. 'Underfunded services' Leigh Frost, leader of Cornwall Council, said the county's roadwork of more than 4,500 miles (7,242km) would have to be maintained with limited Liberal Democrat councillor said: "Our residents deserve a reliable, affordable, and integrated public transport system."Instead, we're left to struggle with making the Cornish pound stretch further to support our underfunded services, while other areas receive the lion's share of investment."Ben Maguire, Lib Dem MP for North Cornwall, said the county had "yet again been overlooked" by the government and the area deserved much better."We've had promises of 'levelling up', but this £15bn plan doesn't offer a single penny for our region," Mr Maguire added. Lib Dem MP for St Ives Andrew George accused the government of targeting "handpicked mayoral zones" with its £15.6bn of George added: "So we're expected to believe this is a politically neutral decision based on need?"Cornwall's Chamber of Commerce said transport consistently ranked as the top priority for businesses in the county, but said there was still not enough support from the Brown, the chamber's chief executive, said Cornwall was being left behind."Our businesses struggle daily with connectivity issues that limit growth potential," he said. "While metro mayors across England receive billions for trams and mass transit, Cornwall's economy continues to be hampered by inadequate bus services and rail connections that fail to meet business needs." 'Languishing behind' The funding announcement also received criticism in Smith, Conservative MP for South West Devon, said she was "deeply disappointed" that no money had been given to Devon or Cornwall."Anyone living in our corner of the UK will know that our transport infrastructure languishes behind the rest of the nation," Ms Smith said."I have warned before that the South West risks becoming Labour's forgotten region. It seems this remains true." 'Pushing our government' Jayne Kirkham, Labour MP for Truro and Falmouth, defended the government, saying the funding was focused on city said she and Perran Moon, Labour MP for Camborne and Redruth, had been told more help was expected in Spending Review due to be set out by the chancellor on 11 June."We will be pushing and pushing and pushing our government to make sure we get as much as we can for Cornwall, because we know how much we need it here," Ms Kirkham DfT said Wednesday's announcement would help more than a quarter of England's population get better transport infrastructure.A spokesperson added decisions on future transport spending would be announced as part of the Spending Review."We are committed to delivering transport infrastructure that will boost growth and opportunity across the whole country, as part of our 'Plan for Change'," the spokesperson said."This includes investing in Cornwall – where this year alone we are already providing £10m towards better bus services, up to £48m for highways and local transport maintenance and £1.1m to enable better walking, wheeling and cycling opportunities."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What we know about plans for Airbnb rule changes
A newly proposed law could push for a major crackdown on holiday rentals and tougher regulations, in a step towards 'restoring fairness' in the housing system in Cornwall and the wider southwest. The 'AirBnB Bill', which does not only target AirBnBs but refers to all short-term lettings, was proposed on 3 June by Ben Maguire MP for North Cornwall. It is aimed at home owners who let their properties to holidaymakers. In a tweet on social media platform, X, Maguire shared that the Bill will include requirements for planning permission before homes can become short-term lets, in an attempt 'to put a stop to the avoidance of paying council tax'. 'It's a simple change with a big impact," the tweet read, 'enough is enough.' Council Tax is one of many factors that have contributed to authorities mulling a crackdown in other areas of the country too. Brighton and Hove City Council revealed last week it is considering tougher regulations on holiday lets, amid an ongoing housing shortage. The council's report from 25 March revealed that as many as 6,000 homes are being used as holiday rentals in the city, and that some short-term holiday lets could be exploiting tax loopholes, with an estimate of £6bn in undeclared tax nationally. Other cities considering a crackdown include Cornwall, Whitby, Whitstable, St Ives and St Davids. Some reasons for the consideration include noise-nuisance, anti-social behaviour, pressure on limited parking, disrupting rubbish collection due to incorrect disposal and lack of correct fire and gas safety measures which endangers visitors. With MPs and councillors exploring ways to better regulate short-term rentals, Yahoo outlines the rules on renting out your home as a holiday let in the UK... In the UK, a holiday rental is referred to as a furnished holiday letting (FHL) according to with many people using sites such as Airbnb, Tripadvisor, and Agoda to rent out their homes. For your home to qualify as a FHL in England and Northern Ireland, it must be fully furnished and made available to rent by the public as furnished accommodation for at least 210 days in the year, and must be actually rented for at least 105 days in the year. For individual lettings in England, which is when renting fees are set for each room or per person, stays cannot exceed 31 days without requiring a formal tenancy agreement. In London, short-term lets cannot exceed a total of 90 days in the calendar year without planning permission – there are similar specific planning regulations in other areas outside of the capital. The rules for renting your property as a holiday let can differ depending on your local council or region, be sure to check the regulations. In Scotland and Wales, a home qualifies as a FHL when it's available for short-term lettings for at least 252 nights in a year and is actually let for at least 182 nights. Home owners in Scotland, who are looking to rent out their properties as holiday lets, are required to get a licence as part of the Short Term Accommodation Licensing scheme, which came into effect on 1 January 2025. The scheme offers four different types of licences, which last for three years and can take up to 12 months to process: Secondary letting – letting accommodation that isn't your principal home Home letting – letting your principal home when you're not there Home sharing – letting part of your principal home when you're not there Home letting and home sharing If you have more than one property – and they don't all have the same address – you will need a licence for each one. In January 2024, the Welsh Government announced plans to introduce a registration scheme and a licensing scheme in 2025, with aims for these to be set nationally, simple to use, cost effective and enable automatic/instant approval of properties. As of April 2025, the tax benefits that FHL qualifiers were entitled to were abolished, meaning that holiday lets are now taxed in the same way as other residential rental properties rather than under the previous business rates. The Bill is aiming to close a "damaging loophole" that currently allows second home owners to convert their properties into short-term holiday lets without planning oversight. Maguire claims this has been adding to the housing shortages and undermining council tax obligations. If passed, the new rule could include a requirement for planning permission before any property can become a holiday let. This is a permit or form of authorisation for building-related projects, which makes sure that it complies with planning policies and regulations. This could mean that homeowners who let their properties short-term will be required to get planning permission from their Local Planning Authority, which will decide whether or not to grant permission. The decision can be based on multiple factors, ranging from the impact this could have on the area, to how it aligns with their development plans for the area. Planning permission is already required for short-term lets in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales - England is set to require the same. Maguire described the Bill as "a targeted and fair proposal" with the goal to "give power back to local authorities, and protect our communities." "I'm hopeful that the Government will take this issue as seriously as it deserves. Together, we make it very clear: enough is enough," he said. In 2024, it is estimated that there were about 451,000 available short-term rental properties on platforms like Airbnb and in the UK. Additionally, a survey revealed that 4.5 million properties had been used for short-term lets at some point in the last two years – this is equivalent to 19% of the UK's housing stock. Carl Thomson, public policy manager for Airbnb UK, says short-term lets have been "bringing the benefits of tourism to all". "Calls to impose restrictions, red tape and fees only protect hotel chains' profits at the expense of local families," he said. "Two thirds of UK Airbnb hosts also say the additional income helps them keep up with the rising cost of living." This map shows how many properties are being let as holiday homes near you: Too many holiday lets on East Lothian street, residents claim What Spain's holiday rental tourism ban means for British travellers
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'Airbnb bill' aimed at second home owners
A bill proposing a law change aimed at second home owners looking to "dodge council tax" has been presented to parliament by a North Cornwall MP. Dubbed the "Airbnb Bill", it proposes homeowners be required to seek planning permission before short-term letting their property. Liberal Democrat MP Ben Maguire said it would "close a loophole" which allowed property owners to avoid council tax by reclassifying their second homes as business lets. John Brown, CEO of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, said the bill "was not a silver bullet, but a start". Mr Brown added: "It must sit alongside tougher regulation and a robust registration system for short-term lets. "If it deters those looking to extract profit from Cornwall without putting anything back — good. "If it helps restore housing stock for local people, even better. "And if it ensures our hospitality and tourism sectors can find workers with secure housing, then it's a win for all of Cornwall.". Describing a "surplus" of Airbnb homes, he said there were 14,000 second homes in the county, while 22,000 people were on the housing waiting list. The bill follows a campaign led by Mr Maguire, who put the proposal directly to the Housing Minister in order to "deliver deep change for North Cornwall". He added: "The bill is about restoring fairness in our system and giving local people a better chance at owning their own home," he added. In January 2023, Cornwall Council approved plans for owners of second homes in the county to be charged double council tax. In September 2024, Airbnb called for Cornwall Council to be given more data, powers and tools to regulate short-term rentals. The US online rental platform said it had written to local MPs and councillors across Cornwall to inform them of its support for new rules being implemented in the county. Airbnb also said it also supported the introduction of a registration scheme for people who wanted to let their homes to tourists. A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said it would fix the "inherited" housing crisis through its Plan for Change. They said it recognised the "excessive concentrations" of second homes and short-term lets could "price out local people and damage public services". It had scrapped the furnished holiday lets tax regime, it said, and councils now had powers to increase council tax bills of second homes, while it was "committed" to introducing a national mandatory registration scheme for short-term lets. Before a short-term let can be assessed for business rates it must first have been available for short-term letting for at least 140 days in the previous year, and actually let for at least 70 days in the previous year. More news stories for Cornwall Listen to the latest news for Cornwall Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ MP seeks law to regulate Airbnb 'party houses' Plans to use second homes tax on police patrols Demand for second homes has 'fallen off a cliff' Cornwall Chamber of Commerce
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'Airbnb bill' aimed at second home owners
A bill proposing a law change aimed at second home owners looking to "dodge council tax" has been presented to parliament by a North Cornwall MP. Dubbed the "Airbnb Bill", it proposes homeowners be required to seek planning permission before short-term letting their property. Liberal Democrat MP Ben Maguire said it would "close a loophole" which allowed property owners to avoid council tax by reclassifying their second homes as business lets. John Brown, CEO of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, said the bill "was not a silver bullet, but a start". Mr Brown added: "It must sit alongside tougher regulation and a robust registration system for short-term lets. "If it deters those looking to extract profit from Cornwall without putting anything back — good. "If it helps restore housing stock for local people, even better. "And if it ensures our hospitality and tourism sectors can find workers with secure housing, then it's a win for all of Cornwall.". Describing a "surplus" of Airbnb homes, he said there were 14,000 second homes in the county, while 22,000 people were on the housing waiting list. The bill follows a campaign led by Mr Maguire, who put the proposal directly to the Housing Minister in order to "deliver deep change for North Cornwall". He added: "The bill is about restoring fairness in our system and giving local people a better chance at owning their own home," he added. In January 2023, Cornwall Council approved plans for owners of second homes in the county to be charged double council tax. In September 2024, Airbnb called for Cornwall Council to be given more data, powers and tools to regulate short-term rentals. The US online rental platform said it had written to local MPs and councillors across Cornwall to inform them of its support for new rules being implemented in the county. Airbnb also said it also supported the introduction of a registration scheme for people who wanted to let their homes to tourists. A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said it would fix the "inherited" housing crisis through its Plan for Change. They said it recognised the "excessive concentrations" of second homes and short-term lets could "price out local people and damage public services". It had scrapped the furnished holiday lets tax regime, it said, and councils now had powers to increase council tax bills of second homes, while it was "committed" to introducing a national mandatory registration scheme for short-term lets. Before a short-term let can be assessed for business rates it must first have been available for short-term letting for at least 140 days in the previous year, and actually let for at least 70 days in the previous year. More news stories for Cornwall Listen to the latest news for Cornwall Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ MP seeks law to regulate Airbnb 'party houses' Plans to use second homes tax on police patrols Demand for second homes has 'fallen off a cliff' Cornwall Chamber of Commerce
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
'Airbnb bill' aimed at taxing Cornwall's second homeowners
A bill proposing a law change aimed at second home owners looking to "dodge council tax" has been presented to parliament by a North Cornwall the "Airbnb Bill", it proposes homeowners be required to seek planning permission before short-term letting their Democrat MP Ben Maguire said it would "close a loophole" which allowed property owners to avoid council tax by reclassifying their second homes as business Brown, CEO of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, said the bill "was not a silver bullet, but a start". 'Tougher regulation' Mr Brown added: "It must sit alongside tougher regulation and a robust registration system for short-term lets. "If it deters those looking to extract profit from Cornwall without putting anything back — good. "If it helps restore housing stock for local people, even better. "And if it ensures our hospitality and tourism sectors can find workers with secure housing, then it's a win for all of Cornwall.".Describing a "surplus" of Airbnb homes, he said there were 14,000 second homes in the county, while 22,000 people were on the housing waiting list. The bill follows a campaign led by Mr Maguire, who put the proposal directly to the Housing Minister in order to "deliver deep change for North Cornwall".He added: "The bill is about restoring fairness in our system and giving local people a better chance at owning their own home," he added. Double council tax In January 2023, Cornwall Council approved plans for owners of second homes in the county to be charged double council September 2024, Airbnb called for Cornwall Council to be given more data, powers and tools to regulate short-term US online rental platform said it had written to local MPs and councillors across Cornwall to inform them of its support for new rules being implemented in the also said it also supported the introduction of a registration scheme for people who wanted to let their homes to BBC has contacted Airbnb and the The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government for comment.
