Enhancing Council Tax Fairness through Special Expenses

Currently regardless of where you are in the Westmorland and Furness District you will be charged the same amount on your council tax by Westmorland and Furness Council for their part of the council tax bill.

This charge is harmonised meaning that everyone pays the same regardless of location and infrastructure and resources the council provide and maintain so residents in a small village with a single play park and streetlighting operated by the parish council who charge via the parish precept are paying the same a someone living in town were the council provides all the streetlighting and 7 or 8 play parks and other assets used by that local community.

A resident in Penrith is in effect paying into a pot of money that covers playparks in Barrow.

Or a resident in a rural Eden village is paying for streetlighting in Kendal while the parish council provides the lights in that rural Eden village.

Likewise, residents in on part of the district could be receiving recycling collection or garden waste while others receive none or are charged extra for the same service others get as part of the council tax.

This creates a disparity in what council tax payers pay against services and resources provided.

Special expenses are additional charges or levies imposed on properties within specific areas by a local council to cover the costs of particular services or amenities that are provided exclusively to those areas. These expenses are separate from the general council tax and are used to fund services that benefit only certain properties or neighbourhoods.

Understanding Special Expenses

Special expenses refer to supplementary charges imposed by the local council on properties within defined areas to cover the costs of specific services or amenities provided exclusively to those areas.

These expenses ensure that residents benefiting from particular services contribute proportionally to their maintenance and operation, rather than all residents across the council area paying the same flat rate for services that are not uniformly provided.

Examples of Special Expense Services:

1. Play Parks: Maintenance and upkeep of local playgrounds accessible to specific neighbourhoods.

2. Street Lighting: Costs associated with street lighting installations in particular areas.

3. Grass Cutting and Landscaping: Maintenance of green spaces exclusive to certain localities.

4. Waste Services: Waste management or recycling services in specific areas.

The expenses associated with each service are calculated based on the actual cost of providing and maintaining the service in the designated area. This cost is then apportioned among the properties benefiting from the service.

Council Tax paying properties in the areas receiving the services subject to special expenses are billed through a special expenses charge on their council tax bill. The breakdown of expenses is typically outlined to illustrate the specific services covered by these additional charges.

Residents pay for services they directly benefit from in the local area, leading to a fairer distribution of the tax burden. Helping to enhanced transparency in fosters a sense of ownership and accountability among residents that can see directly what they are paying for and benefiting from locally.

If Westmorland and Furness Council, implementing special expenses it could address current disparities in service provision across different areas and current charges, ensuring that residents contribute fairly to the services they receive, thereby creating a more equitable council tax system across the district.