Political parties in Bedford have been accused of ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ in a debate over estate management fees.
“It’s very interesting to hear members of other parties suddenly jump on the bandwagon as we have an election approaching,” the leader of Bedford Borough’s Council’s Conservative Group said.
Councillor Graeme Coombes (Wilshamstead) was speaking during a debate on estate management fees during the council’s full meeting on Tuesday, February 28, 2023.
The debate started with councillor James Weir (Conservative, Kempston Rural) giving members a presentation of his research into estate management charges.
This was part of a petition that councillor Weir had given notice of at the previous full meeting.
“Most, if not all [of you] will be aware of the charges suffered by a large majority of residents living in new developments across the borough,” he said.
“The charges are levied for a myriad of items, but rarely explained or justified when residents paying these charges ask for a breakdown.
“The petition calls on all local authorities to represent their residents and lobby and make their voice heard by asking the current planning and housing minister to abolish this system going forward.
“And to make the current system fairer and more transparent to stop the exploitation of buyers and renters on new developments,” he said.
“Can I ask the mayor and his executive members to write and publish a letter to the Levelling Up, Communities, and Housing secretary expressing the need for a change at speed and that all 40 councillors add their names,” he said.
Following the presentation, the council’s portfolio holder for town centres and planning, councillor Henry Vann (LibDems, De Parys) put forward a motion based around councillor Weir’s request but expanded it by encouraging all councillors “particularly those whose party is in government” to help the council to lobby the government to take action.
Councillor Coombes said: “What I find interesting is that councillor Weir has been banging on about these charges and since the day he was elected.
“I know [he has] certainly bent my ear about it, and raised it in our group meetings.
“It’s very interesting to hear members of other parties suddenly jump on the bandwagon as we have an election approaching with planted questions and all the usual things asking the mayor what he thinks of things.”
During the questions from the public part of the meeting the LibDem candidate for Great Denham, Joanna Szaub-Newton, asked mayor Dave Hodgson why the government had not introduced the changes to estate management charges that it “said they would do back in 2017.”
“No I don’t know why the government is failing to act, but I urge it to do so,” the mayor replied.
Councillor Coombes added: “I support this motion that councillor Vann has brought forward, I agree with it in principle.
“And I think we should do whatever we can to address this point, which is really hurting the people having to pay the charges.
“Other than councillor Weir, I haven’t heard another member mentioning service charges in this chamber in recent years,” he said.
The motion was carried.
Sign up to get your own daily update of Bedfordshire News — It’s free.
