Journalism & News from Bournemouth University

BCP Council Vote on Tax Base Proposal

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Four Long tables in a square formation with people dotted around
Councillors in meeting (Photo source: Julia Apte)

BCP council has unanimously voted to end 50% council tax discounts for Mudeford beach hut owners.

Council Leader Millie Earl said: “Information has come out particularly from MPs celebrating vast ammounts of money being allocated to BCP council, we know that our provisional settlement is a very different story. We are likely to lose £20 million over the next three years from the various grant we get. When we get to budget decisions it is important to remember that these are very difficult decisions.”

Chair of the Mudeford and Sandbanks Beach hut Association, Darren Pidwell, said: “We are frustrated that BCP council are again targeting Mudeford and Sandbanks hut owners to raise additional revenues and with no prior consultation.”

The BCP council tax base has increased by 0.6%. Christchurch Councillor Mike Cox said: “Part of this increase is from the fact that we are removing the discount on a relatively small number of beach huts in Mudeford. Ido have a lot of sympathy for those who inherited their beach hut and are not individually waelthy themselves. At the end of the day it is an expensive asset.”

Bearwood and Merley Councillor David Brown said: “We haven’t pulled the Local Council Support Scheme. Thats the scheme where the people on the lowest income don’t have to pay the full council tax. We haven’t put more of a burden on those who are least able to manage it. The money coming from the Mudeford beach huts will be benefitting them directly to protect that coastline.”

Wallisdown and Winton West Councillor Richard Harrett, who meets with the beach hut association, said: “A lot of their frustrations are due to a lack of investment in the view along the seafront… Our seafront team are trying to find ways to invest in those facilities. We are against the backdrop of  an incredibly hard funding situation.”

Highcliffe and Walkford Councillor Andy Martin said: “It is quite obvious how much investment goes in from BCP council. It’s always slightly frustrating when people complain ‘oh we don’t have running water, we don’t have this and that.’ The revenue that we will accrue from this is £211,000 which is a huge amount of money in terms of what it can deliver in other services.”