NALC urges government to end toilet tax after Queen’s Speech

The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) is again urging the government to re-introduce the non-domestic rating (public lavatories) billto end the “toilet tax” on public conveniences local (parish and town) councils manage – after it was not included in the Queen’s Speech on Monday.

NALC had been informed that the bill was one of 17 bills eligible for inclusion in the Queen’s Speech as a carry-over from the previous parliamentary session – but despite lobbying, the bill was not included in the Queen’s Speech earlier this week.

The main aspects of the Queen’s Speech included a commitment to publish a devolution bill (NALC is arguing for new council creation and more grassroots powers). There will also be a new environment bill (NALC is calling for mandatory protection for trees and hedgerows; and a guarantee that government will reach tree planting targets annually).  There will also be a broadband bill introduced (NALC is asking for maximum use of existing sites when rolling out 4G broadband;and for a mandatory Uniform Service Obligation with uniform pricing of broadband provision).

NALC is urging ministers to publish details of the next round of consultations on the fair funding review (as part of which it is calling for the mandatory re-introduction of the non-domestic rating - public lavatories - bill to end the toilet tax.

Cllr Sue Baxter, chair of NALC, said: “Whilst NALC welcomes some aspects of this Queens’s Speech, we were very disappointed that the government did not choose to include the non-domestic rating (public lavatories) bill to end the toilet tax. That was a missed opportunity.  We want the government to ensure there is a mechanism to devolve funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to local councils.  We also want the Government to introduce photo ID at polls and allow local councils to claim the dependants’ carers’ allowance to support carers for childcare purposes.”