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Durham area? Hope you will complain to your Council

(90 Posts)
biba70 Tue 13-Oct-20 16:17:30

So the Cummings family not only broke planning laws and built a very large property on their land without permission- but the Council has now ruled that they will not have to pay back council taxes on said property. 50.000 that could have gone towards social care, the elderly, schools and so much more.

Hope all of you will write to Council or request appointment with your MP to make a very strong complaint and ask for this to be reviewed asap.

varian Mon 26-Oct-20 22:45:22

Dominic Cummings’ unpaid £50,000 council tax bill could fund more than 23,000 free school meals in County Durham, figures reveal.

varian Wed 21-Oct-20 17:59:20

Exactly what would Cummings have to do to get sacked?

Grab women by the pussy? or stand in the middle of New York and shoot somebody?

Johnson seems to be following he Trump script.

biba70 Wed 21-Oct-20 14:01:24

just keep up the pressure - don't let it drop until he does

GagaJo Wed 21-Oct-20 09:04:10

As they should. Cummings has clearly deliberately evaded paying. If he was the average Briton, he'd be up for prosecution whereas because of his Rasputin position he has, and will probably continue, to get away without paying.

MaizieD Wed 21-Oct-20 08:51:30

I think that Durham County Council has been listening.

Durham County Council boss Simon Henig has asked senior officers to find a way to force Dominic Cummings to pay tens of thousands of pounds of backdated council tax.

www.heraldscotland.com/news/18806483.dominic-cummings-forced-pay-backdated-council-tax/?ref=twtrec

FarNorth Tue 20-Oct-20 17:10:27

Glad to hear it.

I bet Jo Bloggs putting up a garden shed would have been hounded.

biba70 Tue 20-Oct-20 08:27:42

It seems 1000s did just that, complain to Press, Council and MPs: From the Herald:

''Durham County Council boss Simon Henig has asked senior officers to find a way to force Dominic Cummings to pay tens of thousands of pounds of backdated council tax.

The Northern Echo exclusively reports that “two properties, including the Mr Cummings’ notorious ‘lockdown cottage’, at the family farm near Durham, were built in breach of planning regulations and are now liable for council tax”, and that senior officers have been instructed to “find a way” to force him to pay up. ''

Callistemon Thu 15-Oct-20 14:29:08

lemongrove

Careful Callistemon ! He may come and build a house next to you??

He can live in the garden shed, I'll keep him busy and away from mischief by making him do the gardening and odd jobs. I have a large whip I can crack.

biba70 Wed 14-Oct-20 21:59:57

Ms Woodcock spent 40 days in prison before a successful appeal. Mr Cummings seems to break the laws that apply to the rest of us with impunity. Council tax due since 2002 was written off 'because of the length of time that had passed'.
Follow the rule of law or suffer the consequences.... unless you know somebody who knows somebody...

Nandalot Wed 14-Oct-20 21:06:16

Yes, the planning violation is out of time but the council tax is not. Why, as I posted earlier, can a person on benefits be imprisoned for not paying £4,000+ of council tax but Cummings and his family, who can obviously afford it, are not made to pay. That is what is making me angry. It is not merely a Durham issue, it is about equality, and about those who have influence in making the laws,
abiding by them.

biba70 Wed 14-Oct-20 21:00:53

Maizie clearly posted the Law, and that this is nonsense.

Jaberwok Wed 14-Oct-20 20:54:12

If prosecution is outside time limitation, there is nothing anyone can do, that also is the law! And you are wrong about planning law being universal throughout the UK!

biba70 Wed 14-Oct-20 20:48:44

Not bizzare at all -UK planning and fraud law is universal for whole of UK. And all over the UK, people who do not follow procedure, especially with intend to conceal, commit fraud, and not pay taxes - are punished, extensions of buildings pulled down, and back taxes paid, often with extra fines. The town or county in this particular case is irrelevant. And the missing tax does not belong to the council, but the people of the region (whichever it is) and their public services.

But if you wish to find it bizarre, THAT is just an opinion- and you are entitled to it - just as I am entitled to mine. Ta.

Jaberwok Wed 14-Oct-20 20:46:25

They could still have a section 52 attached to them as DH 's cousins home had when built on their farm as a home for family and in time, them. The land used is classified as agricultural. Perhaps they have , perhaps they haven't, I doubt they'll be telling the general public! As has been said, complain to Durham local authority, if you're that concerned! Oh real!y biba, do get a grip!!

lemongrove Wed 14-Oct-20 20:42:41

Careful Callistemon ! He may come and build a house next to you??

Callistemon Wed 14-Oct-20 20:32:22

He's above the law biba, as he has proved before now.

lemongrove Wed 14-Oct-20 20:29:55

Yes, anyone can post on this matter, but I find it bizarre to be so interested and bothered by a planning decision that doesn’t concern you at all.
Local people, yes, perhaps may complain about it, but this sounds to be closed now and the Council not interested .
Instead of railing against Cummings, take it up with Durham Council.

Galaxy Wed 14-Oct-20 20:21:00

Yes it is biba, I couldn't care less if you or anyone spend 80% of their time in a small holding on the moon.

MaizieD Wed 14-Oct-20 20:14:39

Some of the land will be agricultural land, the properties could have a section 52 , so different tax and not straight forward to sort out

None of the extra dwellings are on agricultural land, Jaberwok. The original house was the lodge for a local 'great house. The extra buildings are within the boundaries of the gardens.

I do know because I live very near it and have passed it hundreds of times.

You seem to have it in for Dominic Cummings, even though it isn’t him that built a house in the grounds, but his relatives.

No lemon. Cummings described in his blog (which he has kept for many years, how he and his father built one of them.

Anyway, what is your 'qualification' for posting about it. You don't live anywhere near Durham either.

biba70 Wed 14-Oct-20 20:14:21

Galaxy, I lived in the UK since 1970 - and became British in 73- and 'served^all my adult life in State Schools in the UK- my children and grandchildren are still there, all our family in fact. And we do have a small property there and would love to spend more time there, but Covid is preventing us for now.

It is actually bullying- racism even, in a way- and will not be tolerated. Any futher mention will be reported to GN immediately.

biba70 Wed 14-Oct-20 20:11:39

Constant reference to Switzerland is just 100% out of order.
I am British, and a British tax payer, with a British property- and not the only person on GN who lives abroad currently. Others post, but never a comment on their location.

And yes, I do 'have it in for Cummings' and for very good reasons. He is pulling the strings behind the destruction of our country (yes, it is mine too), the one where I paid taxes all my life- so that local services and national services can be supported. He is the man currently behind the destruction of our NHS, our agriculture and industry- and our very Democracy. You will find that I am not the only one who is very unhappy about his rotten influence, and his hypocrisy.

Callistemon Wed 14-Oct-20 20:08:13

you will have to take it up with the Council yourself

That's a good idea.

It's not as if we can do much about it, particularly as I live in Wales and it is mostly devolved here.

Galaxy Wed 14-Oct-20 20:07:44

I am in county Durham and interested if that makes you feel better.

Galaxy Wed 14-Oct-20 20:07:05

I find it fairly weird that people are only allowed an opinion about the area they live in, I have opinions about some things that go on in Scotland and Brazil. I wasnt aware there was a geographical limit.

lemongrove Wed 14-Oct-20 19:56:19

Since nobody in that area is interested, you will have to take it up with the Council yourself.?Good luck with that.