§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance his Department has issued on the designation of accommodation used by staff at residential holiday centres for the collective community charge; what monitoring of such designation he has undertaken: and if he has any plans to review the use of such designations.
§ Mr. PortilloA building may be designated for the purposes of the collective charge if, in the opinion of the community charges registration officer, the building is used wholly or mainly as the sole or main residence of individuals most of whom reside there for short periods and are not undertaking full-time courses of education and if it would probably be difficult to maintain the register and collect payments in respect of the building if a designation were not made. Advice on the application of the collective community charge was given to local authorities in the Department's practice note 14. A person may appeal against a designation for the collective charge first to the charging authority and then to a valuation and community charge tribunal. We will continue to monitor the application of the collective charge, but at present I see no need to change the provisions governing designation.