Council Tax (and try and keep it to that)

[ditchcrawler]

"I have no idea why Mr Weasel is introducing these changes and making out it is a good thing"

 

I like that We are obviously talking about the same conglomoration of cells

 

I have further information from BWML themselves (so take it with a large pinch of Salt as it may have become obsolete as the pen left the paper):

 

BWML has been talking to The National Valuation Office and have stated to us that moorings would have to be switched for at least a Month at a time and 4 x Times a Year.

BWML has also stated that they will Dob us in to the Council if we don't move by when they have told us in which case "That individual will generally receive from the Council an individual charge that will be generally at Band A". It's very General

 

Amongst ourselves it has already been suggested that if it is simply swapping around with your neighbour then we can still remain connected to the same bollard although some boats would need to leapfrog in order to keep the pontoon where the door is and your neighbour may not want / need to move or may not even be around...

It does have farce written all over it... I have been told that the new Electricity meters (been waiting over 4 years for those to arrive) will have a rechargeable swipe card. I have seen these on the Rolec website and you can take the credit off your meter back onto the card to use again on another meter but it could be another 4 years before they matterialise.

 

The bad news is that BT can charge up to £130 to move your line... They say this is if there is no line existing already so that's not the case at Poplar as every bollard is cabled although they don't say how much if a line already exists. Throw broadband into the equation and it gets even messier.

 

Provided BWML are telling the truth / not lying by omission (I know that is stretching the bounds) then THC Band H £2377.04 divided by 50 moorings would be £47.54 each per year (in the example BWML have provided an admin charge is not applied) so the saving is not to be sniffed at.

 

Something tells me that it is not that cut and dried though... What happens if only 10 Residential moorings are taken?

If 22 Res Moorings reach Band H (over £320,000) lets assume that an individual mooring is valued at £16000

BWML inform the council that 10 moorings are in use and the council say OH, Ok you are just within Band F that's £1716.75

£47.54 has just become £171.68 each

If another person takes a mooring (now 11) that tips into Band G £1980.87

Now it's £180.08 each. Still less than full Band A and probably driving BT Nuts but they (BT) would likely fit a Patch Panel once they realise we are playing magic roundabout.

 

Now for the strange bit... BWML are claiming that individual moorers CAN opt out and pay their own CT if they wish...

I think I may have a handle on this as BWML will be contacting the Local Council every 6 Months to tell them how many Moorings are in Residential use (and obviously who the Council should be Billing Individually).

It sounds like a burocratic nightmare for the Local Council as well but BWML and the National Valuation Office "seem" to have created a Hybrid.

 

If nothing else this info may be useful to other groups wrestling with an awkward Local Council as a precident has now been set? Will keep this updated as more info comes in.

 

Andy

Ref the phone line, just because the wire is there doesn't mean its connected. Had the same thing when my mum went in a care home. wire and socket in her room but not connected to the exchange, so you pay. If after the room changes hands and the new tenant doesn't have a phone after a preset time they disconnect it again.