Residents in Great Denham and Kempston West have finally been heard as both Ward Cllrs, who have lobbied for years to have this additional charge removed, are called as witnesses to an Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee. The committee was convened called for by Liberal Democrat Cllrs to challenge the decision.

The five Liberal Democrat Cllrs who called in the Executive decision signed by Mayor Tom Wootton tried to convince the committee that residents in the two wards were not paying an additional charge. They outlined that one of their Cllrs was paying Council Tax, Open space charges as part of that tax, a parish precept and an estate management charge. Stressed as a “Quadruple Charge”.

What they failed to recognise was that the same “Quadruple Charges” also applied to Great Denham and Kempston West resident plus the additional £120 charge for open spaces on land owned by the Borough Council.

The Liberal Democrats presented their case as a cross party action. The fact that only 5 Liberal Democrat Cllrs signed the call-in paper seemed to escape them.

Common sense ensued and the committee accepted the original proposal put forward in the recent budget meeting in February earlier this year.

Deputy Mayor and Portfolio Holder for Environment, Councillor Jim Weir commented,

“As someone who also represented part of the new ward of Kempton West before the boundary changes, I knew the depth and strength of feeling residents had about this additional unfair charge. James Valantine has also been a strong advocate for the removal of the charge, and I know that residents in both wards will feel that a long-standing injustice has been addressed. First part delivered with a reduction to £60 this year, we now need to ensure the next part is delivered for 2025/2026 by removal of the remaining £60”.

Conservative Group Leader and Portfolio Holder for Finance & Corporate Service, Councillor Graeme Coombes commented,

“The Open Space Management Charge that has burdened residents of Great Denham and Kempston West is indefensible and inequitable.

The Call-In debate only strengthens the already clear instruction from Full Council and the new Conservative Council will be moving forward with this instruction to abolish this inequitable third charge.”