Latest news with #JimMcMahon
Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Labour rejects own MP's calls for council tax exemption on retirement homes
Labour has rejected calls from its own MP to grant council tax exemptions for families struggling to sell inherited retirement homes. Anna Dixon, MP for Shipley, urged the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – the government department headed by Angela Rayner – to give grieving relatives more time to sell up retirement properties before being hit with the second home council tax premium. It comes after The Telegraph drew attention to the double taxes being charged on 'impossible to sell' inherited retirement homes. These properties are designed for people aged 55 and over, and can only be sold to people in that age bracket, meaning they can take years to sell. They also come with hefty service charges, and typically depreciate in value, making them unattractive to buyers. From April 1, all local authorities in England were given the powers to charge 100pc council tax premiums on second homes in their region. However, if an owner puts their home on the market, they can escape the charge for 12 months. If they are not sold in this time period, the charge is reapplied. In a parliamentary question, Ms Dixon asked Ms Rayner if she will 'extend the time limit on exceptions to council tax premiums to cover the full period for which a property is being actively marketed for sale for (a) long-term empty homes, (b) second homes and (c) leasehold retirement properties'. Jim McMahon, housing minister, said the Government had 'no plans to change the exceptions to the council tax premiums'. 'Inflexibility and obstinacy' Retirement properties boomed in popularity during the 1980s, and remained attractive well into the early 2000s. As of 2019, there were 730,000 retirement housing units in the UK, according to the Elderly Accommodation Counsel. However, in recent years, their appeal has dramatically waned as complaints mounted among those early buyers. This is due to their hefty service charges, which are payable whether or not the property is lived in. According to Hamptons, one in 10 retirement flats takes more than a year to sell. The Telegraph has heard from dozens of families who have inherited the 'impossible to sell' properties, and are now being hit with double council tax, costing some people thousands of pounds. Kevin Hollinrake, shadow housing minister, said: 'Labour should be actively reviewing how the new regime is working in practice. 'Their refusal to even consider extending the exemption for retirement properties shows a shocking disregard for bereaved families. 'These homes are notoriously hard to sell, and this tax burdens grieving families with unexpected and often unaffordable bills at one of the most difficult times in their lives.' Dennis Reed, of senior citizens charity Silver Voices, said: 'This inflexibility and obstinacy by the Government flies in the face of fairness and equity. A hard to sell flat in a retirement complex is clearly not a second home unless a member of the family is living there. 'All the reasons for second home premiums do not apply in such circumstances, and Labour should be showing some empathy to those who have lost a loved one.' A Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: 'It is for councils to determine whether to apply a premium on the council tax bills of second homes. 'Councils can opt to add up to 100pc extra on the council tax bills of second homes to help local leaders protect their communities.'
BBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Bristol City Council's committee system to be scrapped
A little more than a year after it was introduced, Bristol City Council has been ordered to scrap its committee system by the government, which called the approach "wasteful".At present, councillors in Bristol sit together on committees to make decisions on everything from transport and housing, to adult social care and system was set up after the city voted to ditch its mayoral model in a most councils in England operate under a cabinet system - where a council leader and their ruling cabinet makes decisions, and the government has told Bristol it must now switch to this method. In a statement, local government minister Jim McMahon said legislation would be put before Parliament which would force Bristol and others to switch to having condemned the committee system as "unclear, duplicative, and wasteful" and said it lead to "slower, less efficient decision-making". The government announcement comes a little more than a year after the Bristol mayor role was voters opted for a committee system. While this latest change would not see the return of a city mayor, it would see decisions once again made by a change, which is likely to be introduced in 2027, has provoked a bitter debate between the different parties on Bristol City Council. There has been angry condemnation from the two parties who share power on the council's deputy leader Heather Mack, a Green Party councillor, described the change as "undemocratic and clueless"."I'm shocked that they [the government] would do that when we have had a clear message from the public in Bristol that they wanted this committee system," she Liberal Democrats, who work alongside the Greens, accused Labour locally of "playing political games". Liberal Democrat councillor Caroline Gooch said: "Being forced to waste precious time and resource on changing the governance structure is the last thing we need."But Labour's group leader in Bristol, Tom Renhard, described the current committee system as "nothing short of shambolic".He said it was "a failed experiment that resulted in a total lack of political direction, back-room deals, and zero accountability".The change will require legislation to go through Parliament before Bristol moves from committees to a cabinet.
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Martin Lewis reveals how council tax could change – and urges people to act
Martin Lewis has revealed how Council Tax could soon be changing across the UK as a landmark consultation is launched. The money expert says this is a chance for the 'broken' levy to be 'fixed' with Labour inviting anyone interested to share their views. Some key changes are on the table, including an overhaul of Council Tax debt collection, and making it easier for households to challenge the rate at which they are paying. The initiative has been launched by the Ministry of Communities, Housing and Local Government (MCHLG), the department headed up by deputy prime minister Angela Rayner. Minister for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon OBE said: 'As part of our Plan for Change, we're putting working people first.' 'We are listening and taking action to make council tax fairer, more transparent and easier to manage. Under our plans, local government will be there to support, and not to punish, people who fall behind.' Under current rules, councils are allowed to employ debt collection tactics that have been criticised as aggressive by campaigners. If a household misses a single payment, local authorities can ask for the whole year's bill after six weeks, and enforce this request with bailiffs. This is one of headline measures under consultation, after the government confirmed it would be included in May. Mr Lewis has encouraged anyone interested to participate in the consultation and have their views heard. Also under consideration is changing or scrapping the rule which makes challenging a household's Council Tax band much harder after six months in the property. Experts predict that hundreds of thousands of households are likely in the wrong band, meaning this change would make it easier for them to raise the issue. However, an overall revaluation of council tax bands is not in the scope of the consultation, despite last being carried out in 1991. Responding to the consultation's launch, Mr Lewis said: Many parts of the Council Tax system are broken, and having called for some of these fixes for nearly 20 years, I'm delighted the government has listened and rapidly launched this long-due consultation, including many of the administration areas I hear the most complaints on.' 'Council Tax rapid and aggressive debt collection methods currently hurt millions and disproportionately affect those with mental health problems.' 'Plus, as council tax bands haven't been revalued since the stop-gap drive-by valuations first done back in 1991 – while looking at that isn't in the scope of this consultation – it's only right that if people think they're wrongly in too high a band, as 100,000s likely are, the government is consulting on making it easier to challenge, so people can pay the right price.'
BBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Community resolution over threat to Plymouth City Council leader
A person who threatened a Devon council leader has been issued with a community resolution, police have investigation was launched after Tudor Evans, leader of Plymouth City Council, said he had received a "serious threat of violence" from a member of the public on 16 Labour councillor said the threat was made after weeks of "intense campaigning" over a directly-elected mayor in Plymouth - a move the government has since said will not and Cornwall Police said the person responsible for the threat had been identified and, following consultation with the victim, a community resolution had been agreed. Community resolutions are normally used for minor offences or incidents of antisocial behaviour, which aim to address the issues without more formal legal resolutions, which are an informal agreement between the parties involved in an incident, do not lead to a criminal record. Minister for Local Government Jim McMahon announced on Tuesday that no new city mayors would be said 13 current legacy directly-elected council mayors would continue in their roles, but a more "consistent approach" would be adopted in the future "by not facilitating the creation of new ones".A referendum planned in Plymouth on 17 July could still take place after a campaign gathered more than 10,000 signatures in favour of the process.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Devolution delay request rejected, Kent council leader says
A request by the new Reform UK leadership at Kent County Council (KCC) for a delay to the first stage of local government reorganisation has been turned leader Linden Kemkaran said she has been verbally given a "hard no" from Local Government minister Jim McMahon to requests to delay devolution plans until Kemkaran made the request after saying a November 28 deadline was "almost impossible" to plans would see Kent's councils effectively abolish themselves and be replaced by a smaller number of much larger unitary bodies, with the chance for an elected mayor under Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner's "Devolution Revolution". Council leaders in Kent were told via a webinar with government officials that the government intended to adhere to the existing timetable, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Kemkaran wrote to Mr McMahon to say that plans should be delayed as they "should be taken forward transparently and honestly with the residents we serve, and who fund their current and future councils through their taxes".Stuart Jeffery, Green Party leader of Maidstone Borough Council, said: "I think that local government reorganisation is not everyone's choice but it's happening and we have to make the best of it."We can't delay stuff because it just causes anxiety and confusion."We have to get it over and done with and I am pleased there is no delay even if it puts a bit of extra pressure on us all."Mr McMahon's department has been approached for UK won 57 of 81 seats in May but will have to carry out the government's wishes for the changes in this four year term, possibly within three former Conservative leader Roger Gough, who lost his seat at the election, had hoped Kent would be accepted into the first batch of English counties to be fast-tracked through. The government rejected Kent's application.
