The Labour councillor for Kempston West has told the Bedford Independent that his constituents are “horrified” that a decision to remove Open Space Management charges has been contested by Borough councillors after the mayor said they would be abolished.
Bedford Borough’s elected mayor, Tom Wootton (Conservative), has reaffirmed his decision to remove the Open Space Management (OSM) charge for households in Kempston West and Great Denham, but Lib Dems have ‘called in’ the decision, saying it is unfair to the majority of Bedfordians.
Cllr Valentine said: “The only residents in Bedford Borough forced to pay a direct charge to the Council on top of their Council Tax for the maintenance of local open spaces were those living in the David Wilson Homes/Barratts developments in Great Denham and Kempston West.
“This unfair arrangement stems from a poor decision taken in 2009 by the then [Conservative] deputy mayor, Nicky Attenborough.
“Around two-thirds of Kempston West residents – those in the Wilkinson Road and Martell Drive areas – were subjected to this double charge.
“They were hugely relieved when I was able to confirm that this deeply unpopular and unjust double tax had been abolished. They are now understandably horrified that some elected members are attempting to bring it back.”
Two-tier system
The OSM charge was introduced in 2009 through a developer arrangement, leaving affected residents paying an additional charge for the upkeep of open spaces.
During this time, households in Great Denham and Kempston West have faced an extra annual cost of around £120 on top of their Council Tax for open space land owned by Bedford Borough Council.
The Conservative group says that residents elsewhere in the Borough do not pay this additional fee for the same type of service, creating, they say, a unique two-tier system in which some communities have been effectively charged twice.
In May 2024, the Full Council voted to reduce the charge and, in 2025/26, to exclude the people of Great Denham and Kempston West from that calculation.
“Grossly unfair”
However, the Liberal Democrats believe this places an unfair tax burden on the majority of Bedfordians and have ‘called in’ the decision, forcing the mayor to reconsider.
“The current plan is grossly unfair to the majority of taxpayers throughout Bedford Borough,” said the leader of Bedford Liberal Democrats, cllr Henry Vann.
“They are being made to pay more than they should for no logical reason.
“Council costs for looking after green open spaces are shared out in council tax bills just to the areas where the green open spaces are located. This has been the case for as long as anyone can remember.
“This is so unfair because it means that taxpayers all over the Borough are paying extra for the open spaces in these areas on top of their fair share for their own area.
“All we are asking for is that the land at Great Denham and Kempston West is treated in exactly the same way as similar council open spaces in every other part of the Borough.
“There is a long-standing fair process for doing this. Why is it being ignored?”
“Political game-playing”
The Conservative administration has said the Liberal Democrats’ decision to “call in” the decision for a third time is “political game-playing” that risks delaying fairness for local families.
Mayor Tom Wootton said: “It is unbelievable this arrangement was ever allowed to happen, but what matters now is putting it right.
“We voted, as a collective Council, to remove this charge and it is once again in this year’s budget because no one should be put in a position where they are paying an extra tax for services that residents elsewhere receive through normal Council Tax funding.”
Deputy Mayor and Councillor Jim Weir added: “This is about putting right an arrangement that should never have landed on residents in the first place, and making sure we reach a fair, consistent solution for the long term.
“We are choosing to act in the best interests of our residents.
“The Conservative administration remains committed to delivering a fairer system for all residents across Bedford Borough and ensuring Great Denham and Kempston West households are no longer penalised for historic decisions beyond their control.”
