EXCLUSIVE: Jon Cruddas and Margaret Mullane step in to stop residents who lost their homes in the Wennington fire paying levy payments to council.

Residents who lost their homes in the Wennington fires have been left angered at having to pay a Community Infrastructure Levy to Havering Council. Most residents have still not had their homes rebuilt and are now faced with paying a tax levy if they choose to move before a five year period.

Dagenham and Rainham MP Jon Cruddas and Labour Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Margaret Mullane have stepped to support Wennington residents.

Jon has been pressing for a waiver of Community Infrastructure Levy payments proposed to be imposed on the residents of Wennington Village who lost their homes in the July 2022 wildfires, when the houses are rebuilt.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a financial contribution that developers are require to pay to councils to help fund infrastructure such as schools, health facilities an environmental amenities to meet additional pressures placed on local services as a result of the development.

Jon Cruddas told the Havering Daily: “I was contacted by distraught residents who had lost their homes and all their treasured possessions in that terrible wildfire telling me that Havering Council were to impose a developer CIL when their homes were rebuilt.

I immediately got in touch with the Council and they explained that they are complying with Government requirements. On hearing this I wrote to the Government’s Secretary of State to draw this to his attention and call for a review of these rules. Of course developers, who make large profits from their schemes, must make a financial contribution to help pay for the services and infrastructure needed to support the community. But this is a totally different situation.

Jon added: “I today received a letter from the Government Housing Minister. In this he pointed to a possible way forward given the exceptional circumstances so that no CIL payment would be required. This will need the cooperation of Havering Council, so I have contacted the Council Chief Executive, forwarding the letter and asking that they put in place the necessary arrangements so that the residents can be relieved of the worry.

Margaret Mullane, Labour PPC for Dagenham and Rainham told the Havering Daily: “This should be a victor for common sense. I trust that Havering Council will take advantage of this advice and provide the support to the residents.

I was present in the aftermath of the terrible fires at Wennington Village and saw what a great job of support Havering Council gave to the traumatised families, lifting this burden of CIL and handholding the residents through the process would be in keeping with that caring approach.”

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