What is the Rain Tax?
The Government have announced that it is going to intervene to stop Ofwat’s
rain tax and introduce a sensible social water charging
regime.
Over the past year, The Scout Association has been
campaigning against Ofwat's planned changes to the way water companies charge
community groups in England and Wales for the disposal of
rainwater.
The Government's announcement will be welcomed by all community
groups across England and Wales who have been frustrated by Ofwat’s failure to
understand the damage and financial hardship their policies were going to cause.
Read the full statement from The Scout Association regarding the
Government's announcement.
How did the campaign come about?
Changes are planned for the way water companies charge Scout Groups in England and Wales for the disposal of rainwater.
In the past, organisations like Scout Groups and places of worship have not been charged for the surface water which runs into sewers.
Groups
have reported an increase in water costs of between £60 and
£600 a year. This represents between 1% and 25% of their
overall budgets.
For example, 1st Weston and Weston Point Scout Group in Cheshire are now being charged £564 each year. When added to their metered water charges this accounts for around one third of their total annual budget.
The changes are not universal but will affect Scout Groups who own or lease their Meeting Place. At present only some of the water companies have implemented the charges but Ofwat, the water regulator, is determined to see all water companies introduce them by 2010.
On Friday 12 June adult volunteers in Scouting were sent the following letter highlighting the Stop the Rain Tax campaign.
You can help us with our campaign by signing up as a supporter today. Just provide you email address and name below: