Reading about Westmorland and Furness Council increasing the community charge, parking fees, green bin emptying, etc.
They must realise we, as local residents, feel overwhelmed by rising costs.
I appreciate costs go up every year, such as staff wages, but there is one simple solution staring us in the face that no one wants to mention—Tourist Tax or Levy.
A small charge of a pound or two on everyone who stays the night in a hotel, guest house, or official campsite, would go a long way to keeping annual district running costs down for us locals.
The money could go towards road maintenance, bin emptying, traffic wardens, car parks upkeep, public toilets, more frequent bus services. The list is endless.
Currently, local residents pay for these services.
I think it only fair that a good portion of the millions of visitors we have to our area chip in a small amount towards upkeep.
This will remove all the upward financial pressure from our council and be a much fairer way of operating.
We in this country are reticent and slow in introducing a tourist levy.
We maybe feel it impolite to take.
It will be commonplace in the whole of Britain within the coming years.
We are just playing catch up to much of the developed world's holiday destinations in asking for a small contribution towards local upkeep.
Philip Wilson
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