Street party fees are 'tax on fun' says councillor

A councillor has called for fees issued to people who want to hold street parties to be scrapped, branding them a "tax on fun".

Neil Knowles from Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council wants the local authority to drop the advertising fees it charges to residents who want to close their roads for community events.

Speaking at a full council meeting on Wednesday, he called the charges a "barrier to enjoyment".

In response, councillor Geoff Hill, said changes to the fees are "complex" but said the council would consider it at a later meeting.

Knowles said: "Street parties and the like are part of British life. People love it."

He said the council charges residents £189 to apply for permission, £94 to insure an event and £348 to place a notice in a local newspaper.

"I call it a tax on fun, the whole thing," he said.

Knowles said he understood that it costs time for officers to put things in place but said he found it "hard to justify" the advertising costs to residents.

Hill, who is responsible for roads in the borough, said there were legal complexities and changes to the council's constitution that would need to be ironed out but he promised to bring the matter to a meeting of council leaders in April.

Knowles agreed to withdraw his proposal.

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