Latest news with #CentralBedfordshire
Daily Mail
20-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE How Labour is 'taxing the high street into bankruptcy': Family-run pubs, bakeries and shops are hit with sneaky 200% hikes in business rates
Labour was today accused of 'taxing the high street into bankruptcy' through their punishing 'stealth' levy on small firms. Since Rachel Reeves quietly reduced much–needed reliefs last autumn, family–run pubs, bakeries and restaurants have been battered a rise in business rates. Startling figures recorded by one council reveal an independent pub was stung by a 226 per cent hike in fees, costing them almost £17,000 for one year. Meanwhile, supermarkets escaped with rises of as little as one per cent in business rates, which are similar to council tax for non–domestic properties. Although MailOnline has only obtained business rate rises for Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) – an area that covers Leighton Buzzard, Dunstable and Biggleswade, experts warn the situation will be mirrored up and down the country. Cllr John Baker, who controls the pursestrings at CBC, said: 'The government seems totally incapable of controlling public spending, clobbering business to fund its profligate behaviour. 'If the Chancellor is serious about improving the poor economic climate, reversing those outrageous hikes in business rates and allowing businesses to hire more people would be a sensible first step.' Department stores and supermarkets are also in the firing line in the Chancellor's next Budget. In hope of clawing back billions, Ms Reeves is expected to increase business rates for bigger firms – despite warnings it will only accelerate the decline of the high street and lead to price rises. In last autumn's budget, Ms Reeves boasted that she was extending business rates reliefs for retail, hospitality, and leisure. But she actually reduced the Covid-era discount from 75 to 40 per cent – capped at £110,000 across an entire business. Smaller businesses are typically the biggest beneficiaries because they have fewer locations to spread this discount across. During the same budget, branded a 'disaster' by critics, Ms Reeves hiked employer National Insurance contributions and cut the threshold at which firms become liable to pay them. The minimum wage also rose to £12.21 an hour. The Federation of Small Businesses warned the triple whammy posed 'an existential threat to the future of the high street'. Paul Wilson, the FSB's policy chief, told MailOnline the 40 per cent relief was 'scant consolation for a squeezed business owners trying to find thousands of pounds'. He said businesses couldn't fight back by hiking their own prices because customers 'can only afford so much'. Job cuts and shorter opening hours – caused by businesses trying to claw back cash – risked handing bigger players an even greater advantage, Mr Wilson claimed. He said: 'The feedback were are hearing is that businesses are having to take those difficult decisions to scale back. High street businesses are questioning whether they can genuinely afford to keep competing with online.' The FSB's latest survey showed a record 41 per cent of small businesses now believe the tax burden is a top three barrier to growth. In Bedfordshire, local pubs and restaurants have seen their rates more than double. Data provided by Cllr Baker shows this costs businesses as much as £25,000 a year – more than a minimum wage full–time workers' annual salary. Award–winning pub, the Black Lion, on Leighton Buzzard High Street, was hit with a 226 per cent rise (£16,900) in its rates, from around £7,400 to £24,300. By contrast, many big supermarkets such as Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's saw their rates raise by less than two per cent. Other firms have seen even bigger jump proportionally, including upmarket eatery Eileen's by Steve Barringer – a MasterChef: The Professionals finalist – where rates have shot up 260 per cent, from £300 to £1,080. What are business rates and who has to pay? Business rates are charged on most non-domestic properties, including shops, offices, pubs, warehouses, factories and holiday rental homes or guest houses. Rates are calculated by the Valuation Office Agency, part of HM Revenues and Customs, based on the cost of renting the business premises for a year, currently from April 2021. A rates 'multiplier' is then used to come to the final amount. This number has risen from about 34p in the pound in 1990 to 54.6p today for premises with a rateable value more than £51,000 or 49.9p for if it is less. Certain properties are exempt from business rates, for example farm buildings or places used for the welfare of disabled people. Other firms are entitled to discounts based on the nature and size of their business, for example, independent pubs and shops are likely to be eligible for at least one relief. Our analysis suggested that, on average, independent food and drink venues saw a 120 per cent rise in business rates, compared to an average of just one per cent for bigger firms. We have defined independent businesses as any which receives a relief designed to help what many would consider small or independent local firms. This is wider than just the businesses that get 'small business rates relief', which only applies to property with a rateable value of less than £15,000 and if the business has only one premise. Husband and wife Anthony and Anne Smith, who have owned and run two framing shops in Bedfordshire for the past 40 years, have been hit by a 150 per cent rise in their business rates. It will cost them more than £5,500 extra a year. Allframe, which employs half a dozen staff across the Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable sites, will likely have to raise their prices more than expected to cope, despite fears this could disrupt sales. Mr Smith told MailOnline: 'The problem you've got in any business when you get price increases is that you have to absorb the increase or put prices up. 'We've tried not to put our prices up as we're a luxury business. 'People need to go to to Tesco and Aldi to put food on the table... but don't need to get their pictures framed professionally.' The picture framer added that rates rises will 'ultimately go into it when we reevaluate prices'. Mr Smith added: 'Five thousands pounds is a lot to come off your bottom line in one fell swoop, when it's something you weren't expecting.' 'It will mean our prices go up more than we would have liked them to. It's going to impact on our profitability.' 'I think there's a general feeling that it's always small and medium businesses that that get hit,' Steve Watkins, cabinet member for business at Central Bedfordshire Council told MailOnline. 'These businesses have struggled since the pandemic and have not been able to get back to where they were before. 'The Government should target the big players in the market, rather than smaller businesses. Where's the huge tax increases on Starbucks and Amazon? 'If they want to regenerate town centres they are going about it the wrong way by making it harder for small businesses to survive.' He said the added costs are making it 'harder then ever' for small business owners, who are already facing skyrocketing rents, energy bills and wage bills, adding that they were at 'the end of their tether'. In Labour's manifesto, the PM pledged to replace business rates – which he said 'disincentivises investment, creates uncertainty and places an undue burden on our high streets' – with a new system. Business rates are calculated based on multiplying the 'rateable value' – an estimate of the annual rent in April 2021 prices – by a multiplier of 49.9p for the smallest of businesses, and 55.5p for all others. The Government announced last year it will permanently introduce a lower multiplier for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with a rateable value of less than £500,000. The multiplier value is yet to be announced. Cllr Watkins accused Sir Keir of 'not being upfront with people' over the reduction in the rates relief, saying the announcement was the 'politics of spin'. He said the rates were a 'stealth tax' on business and were not as 'generous' as the Government claims, adding they 'absolutely have the possibility of taxing high streets and small businesses into bankruptcy'. Cllr Watkins added that if the direction of travel continues, it was hard to see how local businesses will still be around in a few years time, leading to an 'increasingly soulless high street'. 'If this is the first step to reforming, I dread to see what the next steps will be, as these ones have gone down like a cup of cold sick,' he added. 'Technocratic governments are big on five to ten year plans, but these businesses need plans now. 'The proof will be in the pudding... but the fact that they've not been upfront so far suggests we need to dig beneath the surface before I start clapping my hands.' A Government spokesman told MailOnline: 'Our reform to the business rates system will create a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and levels the playing field. 'A new, permanently lower business rates in 2026 will benefit over 280,000 retail, hospitality and leisure business properties and will be sustainably funded by a new, higher rate on the 1% of most valuable business properties.'
BBC News
19-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Cycling tour to return to Milton Keynes after 17-year break
Part of the 2025 route for Britain's biggest professional cycle race has been Keynes and Central Bedfordshire will host the third stage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men on Thursday, 4 will start at Midsummer Boulevard in Milton Keynes, marking its return to the city for the first time since 2008, and finish on Woburn Street in Ampthill. Relaunched in 2004 after a five-year absence, the event is held annually across six stages in September. Milton Keynes City Council cabinet member for sport Mick Legg said: "We're excited to welcome the Lloyds Tour of Britain back to our city and it promises to be a fantastic celebration for all our cycling enthusiasts." This year will be the first time that the Lloyds Tour of Britain has come to Ampthill and Central of the council Adam Zerny said: "We hope it will be a thrilling day for all residents and visitors alike and are looking forward to welcoming the riders and celebrating this world-class sporting event with our communities."The detailed route of the Milton Keynes to Ampthill stage will be published later in July. The race begins in East Suffolk on Tuesday, 2 September, with an opening leg between Woodbridge and Southwold, followed by a second stage at announcements about the host venues of the remaining stages, as well as the participating teams for the Lloyds Tour of Britain, will be made over the coming largest free-to-attend sporting spectacle in the UK features Olympic, world and Tour de France champions, and attracts a roadside audience of over one million spectators. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Burning waste site demolished as fire continues
A building used to temporarily store waste is being demolished as firefighters continue to tackle a blaze that started there on Friday. The main structure at Elstow Waste Transfer Site near Bedford has been burning since 21:00 BST on Friday. As a result Bedford Borough Council paused collecting green bin waste, and now Central Bedfordshire Council has warned its recycling collection could also suffer some delays. Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service said "good progress is being made" tackling the fire. Residents of Wixams and Wilstead were advised by firefighters to keep windows and doors shut due to smoke drifting into the area. Smoke has also been visible on the A6 between Wixams, and the A421, which has also been hit with a repeat of last year's flooding this week. Central Bedfordshire Council asked residents with missed recycling collections on Tuesday to leave their bins out, as crews were expected to arrive on Wednesday. Bulky waste bookings and access to the Thorn Turn Household Waste Recycling Centre, both previously suspended, also resumed on Wednesday. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. 'Controlled burn' strategy at waste site fire Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service Bedford Borough Council Central Bedfordshire Council
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Burning Elstow Waste Transfer Site demolished to fight fire
A site used to temporarily store waste is being demolished as firefighters continue to tackle a blaze that started on Waste Transfer Site near Bedford has been burning since 21:00 BST on a result Bedford Borough Council paused collecting green bin waste, and now Central Bedfordshire Council has warned its recycling collection could also suffer some Fire & Rescue Service said "good progress is being made" tackling the fire. Residents of Wixams and Wilstead were advised by firefighters to keep windows and doors shut due to smoke drifting into the area. Smoke has also been visible on the A6 between Wixams, and the A421, which has also been hit with a repeat of last year's flooding this Bedfordshire Council asked residents with missed recycling collections on Tuesday to leave their bins out, as crews were expected to arrive on Wednesday. Bulky waste bookings and access to the Thorn Turn Household Waste Recycling Centre, both previously suspended, also resumed on Wednesday. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Council reveals plans for new specialist primary in Bedford
A council has announced plans to open a specialist primary school for children with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) run Central Bedfordshire Council said the school would initially support 40 pupils, and would eventually be based on the site of the former Pulloxhill Lower School in building needs to be renovated - so the authority intends to place children in an unused block of an existing school 13 miles away in Dunstable, so they can be in class by the new 25/26 academic some parents said they had "serious concerns about the lack of transparency" with the plans and accused some councillors of spreading "misleading information". The authority said the plans, which will be discussed by its executive in August, would offer a "cost-effective response to the rising demand for specialist places" and save between £1.24m and £2.6m a year "compared to the cost of independent placements". Steve Owen, executive member for children, families and community safety, said it would mean "children who are having difficult daily journeys and aren't being educated in the most appropriate setting are going to have easier journeys to school".He confirmed a "modest refurbishment" of the Chiltern School on Beech Road in Dunstable, where pupils would initially be placed, would cost the authority £1m - and renovating Pulloxhill could cost around £2.6m."Everybody I speak to, including parents, were very happy we are making progress and putting something on the table that is available in their lifetimes," he said. However in a letter to the council chief executive, the local SEND action group accused the authority of a "lack of transparency in the recent committee paper concerning the new provision".They said some independent councillors were "publicly claiming on Facebook that new school places will be available in Pulloxhill this year" and added that even the committee papers referred "to the Beech Road site, yet does not make clear this site is in Dunstable".But Owen said: "The council paper we talked about was very clear, but what was less clear was a Facebook post put out by some councillors beforehand which abbreviated the paper and missed out some figures and stages."He added the letter to the chief executive came "from a group who have had hard times in the past and lack confidence in our ability to meet their children's needs"."I do not think that is the council of today," he said, adding: "This was a demonstration of that and won't be the last one either." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
