MP steps in over Council Tax bill for Sikh Gurdwara
27/03/2025
The Council says they are waiting on the Valuation Office Agency
A Council Tax bill has been sent to a building used for religious worship – despite the property being given an exemption last year.
The property at 43 West Street is used as a Gurdwara by local Sikhs.
The law states that a place of public religious worship is exempt from non-domestic rates if it belongs to the Church of England, or the Church in Wales, or is certified as a place of religious worship.
Last year Cherwell District Council agreed on an exemption for the property based on this and a referral was sent to the valuation office to rectify the error.
Banbury’s MP, Sean Woodcock, has now stepped in and written to Gordon Stewart, the Chief Executive of the council, expressing his frustrations that the situation has arisen again.
Mr Woodcock wrote: “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.”
But Cherwell District Council say the problem is out of their control. A spokesperson told Banbury FM: “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.”
Published: by the Banbury FM News Team
