Conservative Mayor Tom Wootton has reaffirmed the Council’s decision to remove the Open Space Management (OSM) charge for households in Kempston West and Great Denham - bringing an end to what many residents have described as an unfair “double tax”.

The OSM charge was introduced more than a decade ago through a developer arrangement, leaving affected residents paying an additional charge for the upkeep of open spaces. For years, households in Great Denham and Kempston West have faced an extra annual cost of around £120 on top of their Council Tax for open space land owned by Bedford Borough Council.

Residents elsewhere in the Borough do not pay this additional fee for the same type of service, creating a unique two-tier system where some communities have been effectively charged twice.

In May 2024, Full Council voted to removed entirely from 2025/26, ensuring residents are not left paying indefinitely for costs that should have been covered through normal Council Tax funding.

Despite this clear decision, the Liberal Democrats have now chosen to “call in” the decision for a third time - a move the Conservative administration says is political game-playing that risks delaying fairness for local families.

Mayor for Bedford Borough, Tom Wootton, said:

“It is unbelievable this arrangement was ever allowed to happen, but what matters now is putting it right.

We voted, as a collective Council, to remove this charge and it is once again in this year’s budget because no one should be put in a position where they are paying an extra tax for services that residents elsewhere receive through normal Council Tax funding.”

Deputy Mayor and Councillor Jim Weir added:

“This is about putting right an arrangement that should never have landed on residents in the first place, and making sure we reach a fair, consistent solution for the long term.
We are choosing to act in the best interests of our residents.

The Conservative administration remains committed to delivering a fairer system for all residents across Bedford Borough and ensuring Great Denham and Kempston West households are no longer penalised for historic decisions beyond their control.”