Latest news with #RichardBates
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Man fears he will go to PRISON or be kicked out of his home after waging war with council over 'monstrosity' garden
A council tenant fears being evicted or going to prison over failing to tidy his 'monstrosity' of an overgrown garden. Richard Bates believes he is the victim of a 'council witchhunt' over the state of his garden at his home in Melton Mowbray. The authority approached him in September 2024 over the situation at the front of his house before being hit with formal warnings and a fixed penalty notice. Council workers eventually moved in to tidy up the site and clear up the 'very overgrown vegetation and any other items that could provide food and harbour vermin'. Richard, 58, was later taken to court but said he could not attend as his dad had just died. He was found guilty of failing to comply with community protection order and fined £500, ordered to pay £500 towards council costs and a victim surcharge of £200. The unemployed tenant says he cannot afford the £1.2k costs and fears more 'persecution' from the authority. Richard, who has lived in the property for 19 years, has since improved the state of the garden, with help of locals. It now has an England flag hanging on a fence, a bird box and new plants. His property also stands out with two signs next to his front door which say 'asylum for the criminally insane' and 'Bates Motel' - a nod to the home of Norman Bates, the killer in Alfred Hitchcock thriller, Psycho. Richard said: 'They won't leave me alone. This is council persecution. 'I've lived here 19 years and they have caused me no end of problems. They made a bigger problem out of the garden than it was. 'I was getting around to doing it. I cannot afford the costs and they know that. They just want me out. It's a scandal. I've been here 19 years. They're treating me terribly. 'I'm dumbfounded by it all. I was getting letters and warnings but I have not acted on them. I don't think it's been that bad. I did cut some of it back. 'I am being picked on. They are targeting me.' Richard fears more court action, eviction or prison, if he does not pay the fine. He added: 'I fear they'll try and do me for contempt of court for not paying the fine. I think they want me out. They want to evict me. 'I have no idea what will happen now. I'm trying to get the money together. It's been a huge stress on my life. I refute their claims it was that untidy. 'Look at it now - it's brilliant. I can't see how sending some people out to cut it back can leave them charging me £1,200. 'Someone is having a right laugh there.' Other issues at the property included a toilet which would not flush, he added. He said: 'They've come after me for an untidy garden but they've left me with loads of issues.' He is now looking to take legal action against them. He added: 'I want to take them to court. This is not how you treat tenants. I have a long list of issues with the authority. 'I am being victimised. They are coming down on me like a tonne of bricks.' One neighbour said: 'I feel sorry for Richard. He just let the garden go a bit and now they've turned him over. He cannot afford that bill.' But, another local said: 'The garden was like a jungle. I'm glad action has been taken.' Councillor Sarah Cox, portfolio holder for corporate finance, property and resources at the council, said: 'Even with support from our teams, the resident failed to adhere to the conditions set out to him, forcing us to take necessary action to keep the area clean and free of pests. 'We take issues such as anti-social behaviour very seriously. 'If a supportive approach fails, we will not hesitate to enforce and act to keep our communities a safe and thriving place to live.'
Metro
20-07-2025
- Metro
'Nightmare' Neighbour fined for rat infested garden in Melton Mowbray
A man has been handed a court bill for £1,200 for failing to tidy his 'nightmare' overgrown garden. Richard Bates, who lives in Melton Mowbray near Leicester, was approached by his local council in September 2024 over the overgrown vegetation at the front of his house. He later got formal warnings and a fixed penalty notice, before council workers eventually moved in to tidy up the site. They were tasked with clearing the 'very overgrown vegetation and any other items that could provide food and harbour vermin'. While carrying out the work, they found a rat's nest in the garden, which Melton Borough Council described as a 'nightmare'. On July 9 at Leicester Magistrates' Court, the matter was found proved in Bates' absence and he received a £500. More Trending He was also ordered to pay £500 towards the council's costs and a victim charge of £200, while the council said he would also be recharged for the cost of the works. Bates was found proved of failing to comply with a community protection notice. Councillor Sarah Cox, portfolio holder for corporate finance, property and resources at the council, said: 'Even with support from our teams, the resident failed to adhere to the conditions set out to him, forcing us to take necessary action to keep the area clean and free of pests. 'We take issues such as anti-social behaviour very seriously. 'If a supportive approach fails, we will not hesitate to enforce and act to keep our communities a safe and thriving place to live.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Man made friend strip before 'parading' him through Welsh village naked MORE: Afghan veteran warns data breach poses shadow threat 'for years to come' MORE: Three minutes cut from 'raw' prison footage of the night Epstein died
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Homes project poses financial risk to council
Funding a 1,650-home development project is still "the biggest financial risk" to a Surrey council as it tries to fill an ever-growing gap in its budget, the authority's chief financial officer says. The Wayside Urban Village (WUV) scheme, led by Guildford Borough Council, could see hundreds of new homes, community buildings, employment space and improved infrastructure built. The £453m project was given outline planning permission in October 2021, but has seen its potential deficit rise from £50m in May 2024, and will have increased with inflation since then. Officers have now outlined various options to plug the funding black hole, with a full decision to be made by the end of July. The sale of council assets is predicted to bring in £20m, while the intended new leisure contract for the Spectrum, Lido and Ash Manor is also hoped to generate funds for WUV. The council's chief financial officer Richard Bates told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the project is "clearly the biggest risk" and still going to be a large financial risk for the council for probably the next 10 years. "We're still going to have to borrow another £180m to get us from A to B," said Mr Bates. He explained the project still has to deal with ongoing inflation, soaring construction costs as well as land and house prices. But he added: "We've got to the stage where we have enough things to take to the council that will help us mitigate the risk of the project as it currently stands." The aim is to squash the deficit to zero before local government reorganisation takes into effect and Guildford council is merged into a mega authority in 2026-27. If Guildford does not cover the gap, there will be an annual impact on the new council's budget and it could have to cut services. Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. New air quality strategy approved by council Leisure operator plan to invest £10m in facilities Views sought on major housing proposal Views sought on housing in Guildford Red flags missed over council overspend - report Guildford Borough Council Local Democracy Reporting Service Sign in to access your portfolio
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Guildford homes project 'poses financial risk' to borough council
Funding a 1,650-home development project is still "the biggest financial risk" to a Surrey council as it tries to fill an ever-growing gap in its budget, the authority's chief financial officer says. The Wayside Urban Village (WUV) scheme, led by Guildford Borough Council, could see hundreds of new homes, community buildings, employment space and improved infrastructure £453m project was given outline planning permission in October 2021, but has seen its potential deficit rise from £50m in May 2024, and will have increased with inflation since have now outlined various options to plug the funding black hole, with a full decision to be made by the end of July. The sale of council assets is predicted to bring in £20m, while the intended new leisure contract for the Spectrum, Lido and Ash Manor is also hoped to generate funds for council's chief financial officer Richard Bates told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the project is "clearly the biggest risk" and still going to be a large financial risk for the council for probably the next 10 years."We're still going to have to borrow another £180m to get us from A to B," said Mr Bates. He explained the project still has to deal with ongoing inflation, soaring construction costs as well as land and house he added: "We've got to the stage where we have enough things to take to the council that will help us mitigate the risk of the project as it currently stands."The aim is to squash the deficit to zero before local government reorganisation takes into effect and Guildford council is merged into a mega authority in 2026-27. If Guildford does not cover the gap, there will be an annual impact on the new council's budget and it could have to cut services.
Rhyl Journal
21-05-2025
- Rhyl Journal
Air ambulance lands in Rhyl following incident
This was early yesterday afternoon (May 19), with witness Richard Bates taking the attached photo of the helicopter landing on fields by Marsh Road. A Wales Air Ambulance spokesperson said: "I can confirm the Wales Air Ambulance attended an incident in that region yesterday (May 19). 'Our Caernarfon-based crew were allocated at 12.40pm and arrived at the scene, via air, at 1.15pm. 'Our involvement concluded at 2.30pm." North Wales Police and the Welsh Ambulance Service have been approached for further comment.
