Banbury MP expresses 'disappointment' after district council issues council tax for Sikh Gurdwara

Sean Woodcock wrote a letter to Cherwell District Council’s chief executive, Gordon Stewart, on Tuesday (March 26).

In the letter, the MP expressed his frustrations that a Banbury place of worship had been issued with a court order to pay council tax.

Sean said: “I am writing to express my disappointment that for a second year running, the property at 43 West Street, Banbury, has been rated for Council Tax and Cherwell District Council have send out a demand to my constituent.

“The Gurdwara is used as a place of religious worship. Last year, your office agreed that the property should be exempt from rating under Paragraph 11 Schedule 5 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988.

“A billing authority referral was sent to the valuation office to rectify the error and remove the property from the valuation list.”

Sean then asks the council why it did not speak to the Valuation Office Agency ahead of issuing council tax and requests that such administrative errors be avoided going forward.

He said: “May I ask why this has taken so long and why, in view of your office’s knowledge of this case, you did not again contact the valuation office to clarify the property’s use, prior to sending out a Council Tax demand?

“I would hope that this matter can be brought to a speedy resolution and that such administrative errors can be avoided in future.”

The council responded by saying that it had now contacted the Valuation Office Agency to tell them the Gurdwara should be exempt from paying council tax.

A spokesperson for Cherwell District Council said: “We have sent a billing authority referral to the Valuation Office Agency to report that the property is now being used as a public place of religious worship and should be exempt from rating.

“Unfortunately, it can take some time before the property is removed from the valuation list and until it is, we are obliged to send the property a council tax bill.”