Cotswold District Council today set its Council Tax for the coming financial year. A meeting of full Council agreed to add £4.64 to its share of the annual average bill (Band D), a 3.5% increase.

Gloucestershire County Council has increased its Council Tax by 4.9%, or £48.35 per year for a Band D property, while the Gloucestershire Police Authority has increased its bill by £8.96 (4.99%).

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Tags: cotswolds | property

Cotswold District Council Leader Lynden Stowe has slammed developer-led proposals to build a mega “eco town” at Long Marston, Warwickshire. The site is barely half a mile from the specially-designated Cotswolds AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).

Cllr Stowe said: “This new town of ‘solar shoeboxes’ would be an unmitigated environmental disaster for the surrounding areas”In particular the wider infrastructure, extending well in to the heart of the Cotswolds will be completely unable to handle the huge additional volume of traffic that would be generated.”

“Nor would it be possible to build new capacity to highways, power lines, water, sewage and drainage systems without “butchering” the northern parts of the Cotswolds AONB, including Gloucestershire, Warwickshire & Worcestershire.

He added: “I can barely think of a more unsustainable location for an Eco Town. I urge the Government to place the whole scheme in the bin - for good”

Cllr Stowe was also angry that these proposals had not even been forwarded to Cotswold District Council as the neighbouring planning authority for comment.

Tags: cotswolds | conservation | property

Gloucestershire County Council’s Cabinet today recommended a 4.9% council tax increase for next year - which includes a 1.1% levy to tackle flood prevention.

Cabinet members voted unanimously to opt for a 3.8% rise, plus an additional 1.1% investment in drainage clearance (option 2 in the recent council tax survey).

The recommendation comes after Gloucestershire was hit by the worst flooding in 60 years during Summer 2007 - leaving the council with costs of £35 million and the likelihood of further floods in the future.

Cllr Ray Theodoulou, Cabinet Member for Resources, presented the budget report to Cabinet, he said: “This decision has been a difficult one but acknowledges the huge amount of public feeling we’ve seen since the floods of 2007, with people asking for much more investment in our drainage systems. I want to thank everyone who took part in our residents’ survey, the results of which have influenced the decision we’ve made here today. We are still committed to keeping costs low and providing excellent services, but this additional levy, if approved by council, will help us to address the urgent work needed to protect residents against future flooding.”

Cabinet’s decision was supported by the results of the recent council tax survey, in which the majority of people who took part (56.7%) voted for some kind of additional flood levy. In response, the Cabinet has chosen Option 2, which is a 3.8% council tax increase with an additional 1.1% to create a £2.3m ‘flood fighting fund’. This enables the council to raise £4m to spend on capital projects, so in 2008/09 the council will be dedicating over £6m in total to flood relief projects.

The council tax increase would equate to £1036 a year for a band D property, an increase of 93p per week.

The proposal will now go before a meeting of Full Council on 20th February, where all county councillors meet to make the final decision on next year’s council tax and budget. The meeting will take place at 10am In the Council Chamber, Shire Hall, Gloucester and is open to the public.

Source: Gloucestershire County Council

Related articles:
Gloucestershire Council tax survey results released
County Council gives public choice over council tax
Cotswold Council sets £10m budget for 2008/09

Tags: gloucestershire | property | floods

Cotswold District Council’s share of the Council Tax bill is set to rise by 3.5% - or just under 9p per week - it was agreed today.

A meeting of full Council set the authority’s net budget for 2008/09 at £10.2m, resulting in a £4.64 increase for the average Band D household to £137.15 a year for District spending.*

Council Tax makes up a quarter of the Council’s budget, with a further 25% coming from central Government support. Around 40% is made up in income from fees and charges, with the remainder coming from interest on the Council’s investments.

Council Leader Cllr Lynden Stowe said after the meeting: “The level of Council Tax reflects our aim to keep increases broadly in line with inflation and represents good value for money for the range of services we provide.

“Like all councils, we are facing increased financial challenges due to the rising costs of utilities and fuel and the increasing pressure on local authority pension funds.

“This year, Cotswold is seeing a reduction in Government support in real terms as rural districts have lost out to urban areas. We are left to find ways to bridge that gap and produce a balanced budget without passing on too much of the burden to our Council Tax payers.

“We’re doing this by working more efficiently, such as joint working with other Councils, and by increasing or introducing fees and charges, such as car parks and green waste.”

Budget consultation carried out by the Council revealed that residents believe the ‘user should pay’ for services such as car parks, leisure, museums and public loos.

In 2008/09, the Council proposes to balance its budget by making an additional £1.5 million in income and a further £160,000 in efficiency savings.

Cllr Stowe added: “Drawing up the budget is a challenging task but we are certain our spending reflects our priorities of a cleaner, greener District; providing value for money and supporting our communities.”

*Note: The total Council Tax bill for District households will not be known until the County Council and Police Authority set their precepts. The District Council formally sets its Council Tax on February 26.

Source: Cotswold District Council

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Cotswold Council joins crackdown on Council Tax fraud

Tags: cotswolds | property

Cotswold District Council is joining a national crackdown to ensure residents are not wrongly claiming Council Tax discounts.

All local authorities are required by law to take part in the Government’s National Fraud Initiative, overseen by the Audit Commission.

The Council will be using information supplied by property owners and residents to check whether people claiming the single person’s discount of 25% are genuinely living alone.

Portfolio holder for Property & Benefits Cllr Nick Parsons urged anyone claiming a discount whose circumstances have changed to get in touch with the Council so that their Council Tax bill can be reviewed and, if appropriate, be corrected.

He said: “Of course we are keen to make sure that anyone who lives alone is rightly claiming the discount to which they are entitled.

“However, we will be making checks to identify cases where there are two or more adults living at a property which should therefore not be receiving a discount.”

The checks cross-match information with other government departments and show whether more than one resident has ordered goods or services from an address.

Cllr Parsons added: “The Council must investigate and take action against false claimants in order to stop the burden falling on the vast majority of law-abiding council tax payers in our District. Council tax fraud is a criminal offence and cheats are likely to face prosecution.”

The Council is also urging anyone who lives alone who is not currently claiming a discount to get in touch and find out what they are entitled to by calling the Council Tax team on 01285 623033.

Source: Cotswold District Council

Tags: property | cotswolds

Weekend Telegraph Property Section - Caroline McGhie seeks out the best small market towns in Britain. Moreton-in-Marsh is in the top ten

Moreton-in-Marsh has made it into the top ten beating near neighbours like Stow-on-the-Wold, Chipping Norton and Shipston-on-Stour.

“Small market towns are becoming increasing desirable, as much for their natural beauty as their shops and schools” Britain’s finest country towns sparkle like precious stones in the property market; beacons of prosperity, enterprise and asperation. They are the setting for some of our most unusual shops, our greatest novels, our agricultural highs and lows. They are the heartbeat of the countryside.”

“Moreton-in-Marsh is a Cotswold beauty with a glorious main street of golden stone houses with back lanes running off. Strategically placed between Stratford-upon-Avon, Evesham, Bath and Oxford, it once thrived as a coaching stop, but now attracts commuters who use the local station for the 90 minute journey into London.”

“It is Heythrop Hunt country and the town has its very own horse and agricultural show in September. In the summer it fills with opera buffs flocking to the Longborough Festival, the Cotswolds’  answer to Glyndebourne. It is accessible to everywhere, a crossing point that is set in beautiful countryside and the Tuesday market, where you can buy everything from slippers to saucissons, is protected by a Royal Charter granted by King Charles I.”

Other local towns in the list of top 50 towns to delight were:
Cheltenham
Cirencester
Stow-on-the-Wold
Stratford-upon-Avon

Come and stay at Little Gidding and spend some time in these five top 50 local towns. All five towns are within a 1/2 hour drive through the lovely local countryside.

Also visit other local country towns like Chipping Norton, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwick, Tewkesbury and Winchcombe which didn’t make it to the top fifty but which have lots of character and charm and many supporters. Let us have your views and comments.       

Source: Daily Telegraph Weekend Property Section 

Tags: cheltenham | cirencester | cotswolds | countryside | evesham | gloucestershire | moreton | places | property | shipston on stour | stow | winchcombe

Following the tragic death of a Somerset baby who died from being scalded by water from a hot water tank which had a faulty thermostat, Cotswold District Council is urging private landlords, homeowners and tenants to watch out for telltale warning signs with their water system to help prevent any further tragedies.

The guidance, based on Health and Safety Executive alerts, has warned that particular consideration should be given to hot water systems more than 10 years old and systems where homeowners and landlords may have other reason to suspect the adequacy of the initial installation or any subsequent work.

The warning signs people in any home should look out for include:-

• Excessively hot water coming out of the hot water taps;
• Excessive noise or ‘bubbling’ from the hot water cylinder;
• Hot water coming out of certain cold water taps (some storage cisterns also feed cold water taps in the bathroom);
• Steam/moisture in the roof space.

Private Sector Housing Manager Claire Locke said: “Councils treat their role of protecting local residents exceptionally seriously and are urging residents to make checks to try to prevent any further tragic losses of life through faulty thermostats.

“Local people with systems more than ten years old should be aware of how to spot whether their thermostat is faulty and who to contact to get it fixed as quickly as possible.

“In the first instance, we would advise homeowners with concerns to contact a plumber. Worried tenants should contact their landlord or housing association.

“Where serious problems exist, grant funding may be available from the Council to help vulnerable owners, who are in receipt of certain means tested or disability benefits, to carry out essential works, subject to conditions and availability of funding.”
Source: Cotswold District Council

Tags: property | safety

Cotswold residents are being asked to identify potential housing land in the District.

Cotswold District Council will be carrying out an assessment of possible sites during the first half of 2008, as required by Government planning policy.

The study will help the Council show that there is sufficient land to meet the community’s housing needs in the preparation of Cotswold District Core Strategy and associated planning documents.

These documents will eventually replace the current Local Plan and guide future development in the District to 2026.

Senior Planner Nicola Melville said: “The aim of the assessment is to identify as many sites as possible that have housing potential throughout the Cotswold District.

“Consequently, we are inviting any person or organisation to inform us of any sites that they would like to draw to our attention.”

Although the assessment will form an important evidence source, the Council stressed that it does not determine whether a site should be allocated for housing development.

If anyone wishes to put forward any potential housing sites, they should submit a brief description and a map (preferably 1:1250 scale) with the site clearly defined on it, to: Nicola Melville / Joanne Corbett, Forward Planning Team. Cotswold District Council, Trinity Road, Cirencester, GL7 1PX. The deadline for submissions is Friday, February 8.

Source: Cotswold District Council

Tags: cotswolds | property

Deadline looms for survey of flood-hit homes
Flood-hit homes and businesses in the Cotswolds are being urged to fill in a District Council survey form by October 22nd – if they have not already done so.

Together with other local authorities, Cotswold District Council began a door-to-door survey in August of properties affected by the July floods.

The aim of the survey was to assess the scale of the damage and to identify vulnerable people who may have required assistance to recover from the floods.

More than 800 forms have already been returned from Cotswold properties, but the Council wants to be sure it has heard from everyone who was affected.

The Council is using the information from the survey forms to help it plan for future potential flooding incidents and decide where its Flood Recovery Grant may be best spent.

More than £620,000 was awarded to Cotswold District Council by the Government in the wake of the emergency. The Council is spending part of the money helping those in priority need and is also planning to look at funding flood resilience measures for local communities.

Cotswold District Council Leader Cllr Lynden Stowe said: “We believe that the majority of people whose homes were flooded in July have filled out a form.

“However, we are very keen to hear from anyone we may have missed or who may have received a form through their letterbox that they have not yet completed.

“We want to build up as clear a picture of the impact of the floods as possible. If we have accurate statistics it will help us to decide where best to spend our Flood Recovery Grant on flood prevention measures.”

To obtain a survey form, please contact Cotswold District Council on 01285 623000.

To apply for a grant from the Gloucestershire Flood Relief Fund charity, please visit www.glosfloodrelief.org.

Tags: floods | property