Burghead harbour shelter volunteers hit with tax bill by Moray Council
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VOLUNTEERS who look after the Burghead harbour shelter have been hit with a tax bill for hundreds of pounds by Moray Council.
The shelter, which sits next to the Shetland Bus Memorial, serves as a memorial to all those lost at sea.
The committee that look after the shelter paid £450 ground rent in 2020 – despite a previous undertaking that the land would not be subject to charges.
Committee founder John Main (77) said: "It's all ex-fisherman that look after the memorial.
"I'm probably nearly the youngest involved, so we don't do any fundraising.
"A couple of friends of mine put on a coffee morning which raised the £450 to pay this tax bill but we can't pay this year.
"We won't be paying because we don't have money to pay it. We aren't an organisation and don't make money.
"This must be the only memorial for the dead in the UK that council charge ground rent for."
Mr Main explained that Burghead Town Council used to donate the land to the local community, before it was taken over by the former Grampian Regional Council, which demolished the original shelter, along with a nearby toilet block.
The committee subsequently raised the funds to rebuild the shelter and say they were given an undertaking that the land would not be subject to tax.
Moray's Conservative MP Douglas Ross has written to the council seeking clarification on the charges.
He said: “I have written to Moray Council seeking background information surrounding the decision to charge the committee hundreds of pounds in taxes.
“Volunteers raised funds and rebuilt the Burghead harbour shelter and it serves as a poignant memorial to all those lost at sea.
“My understanding is that the volunteers were told they would not be subject to any charges for the shelter which sits on a piece of land that was originally donated to the local community by the old Burghead Town Council.
“It seems unfair to expect the committee to now pay hundreds of pounds in taxes – particularly if an agreement was in place previously that no charges would be levied.
“I hope that the council can provide some clarity on this and look at removing these charges for the group.”
A spokesperson for Moray Council said: “An invoice was sent in 2019 in respect of backdated rent and has been settled.
"In March 2020 the annual rental charge of £175 was invoiced and has been paid in full, leaving no outstanding balance.”
