Progress on Unfair CIL Charges – The Government Finally Acts

I've been campaigning for some time to fix an unfair quirk in the planning system that has left ordinary homeowners facing huge bills because of simple paperwork mistakes.

The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) was designed to make sure developers contribute towards local infrastructure. But across the country, homeowners and self-builders have been hit with charges worth tens of thousands of pounds because of minor administrative errors.

That isn't what the system was intended for.

Here in Newbury and West Berkshire, we've seen the impact first-hand. The Liberal Democrat administration at West Berkshire Council took the lead by helping residents who had been caught up in these unfair charges and demonstrating that a more common-sense approach was possible.

I've been raising this issue directly with ministers for months, including in meetings with Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook. My message has been simple: families should not face life-changing bills because of a technicality.

I'm pleased to say the Government is finally listening.

The Minister has now confirmed that councils have the flexibility to support residents who have been unfairly charged, and the Government will consult on changes to the rules to prevent these situations happening in the future.

This is a significant breakthrough.

For too long, affected residents have been told nothing could be done. The Government has now acknowledged there is a problem and opened the door to a fairer solution.

There is still more work to do, but this is real progress.

It's a testament to the residents who spoke up, campaigners who refused to give up, West Berkshire Council for leading the way locally, and everyone who has pushed for change.

I'll keep working with ministers and campaigners until we have a system that supports homeowners rather than punishing them for honest mistakes.