11th
Nov 2016
This is the year for referendums as nearly 4,500 Burnley residents signed up to a petition led by an angry buy-to-let landlord, calling for the council to be led by an elected mayor.
The landlord who lives in Prestwich, Geoffrey Berg, started up the petition after Burnley Council decided to extend its selective licensing scheme across a number of areas within its boundaries.
There are four existing localities under the scheme and the council has now introduced the private landlord licensing into another three areas that started on Tuesday November 15th, and no doubt intends to extend it further.
Geoffrey Berg's goal is to achieve a referendum in Burnley for the public to decide whether the council's leader councillor Mark Townsend, should be replaced by an elected mayor.
Berg who has a portfolio of North West properties told the press that the new extension of the council's licensing scheme would hinder further buy-to-let investment in Burnley, and many houses could be left empty.
He was keen to point out that certain areas within the boundaries which were originally to be included, have since disappeared from the new designated districts and he believes there may be a very good reason why they have been omitted.
Berg said: “My original motivation for attempting to change the system of governance in Burnley was the extension of Selective Landlord Licensing to several more areas of Burnley, but not the Daneshouse area, where some local labour councillors own rental property, that was initially to be included in this scheme but was eventually excluded.
“This is bound to further reduce the value of homes around these areas. The cost of a licence for landlords is £700 for five years. I fear this scheme is increasing the number of properties and not reducing them.”
Mark Townsend the council leader commented that he was “angry” as Berg does not live in Burnley and therefore should not “ interfere in our representative process for personal reasons”.
He added: “The borough now faces a possible hefty bill to hold a mayoral referendum at a time when we are already having to cut the council budget by 25% over the next four years.
“My feeling is that most residents will be outraged by this and would rather have their council tax spent on services rather than more politicians, but that will be for the people to decide if Mr Berg gets his way.”
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