Fees and charges for the environmental regulation of industry by local councils will be frozen in the next financial year. The scheme is unchanged after consultation in the autumn (ENDS Report, 429, pp 44-45).1
The new scheme will introduce a £50 late fee for invoices unpaid after eight weeks. It will also extend the maximum duration of reduced fees for mothballed plant from a year to 36 months. Guidance on this has been reviewed.2
The summary of responses to the consultation reveals that the environment department (DEFRA) is working with council body Local Government Regulation on allowing councils to set their own fees.2 This body launched a broadside against the current set-up in its response, saying it clashed with the localism agenda and the ‘polluter pays’ principle.3
