Charities in row over water costs

The Church of Scotland fears it will have to spend more on water bills

A major campaign is being launched by charities and churches to fight the introduction of potentially damaging water charges.

Charities and churches currently have exemptions and reliefs from these charges but it is proposed they will be removed from 2010.

They will then be treated the same as businesses and will face the additional burden of having to pay full charges.

It is estimated that churches could face charges of £1,000 per year.

The campaign coincides with the Scottish Government's consultation on water charges, led by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland.

The organisations involved claim that removal of the exemptions and reliefs will have a crippling impact on many churches and charities.

Disproportionately hit

It is estimated that, depending on the size of their premises, bills could be up to a third of the annual income of some small charities and could force some of them to close.

When the exemptions and reliefs were introduced more than 50 years ago it was recognised that charities and churches played a vital social role in society.

The campaign will include a petition to maintain the current reliefs and exemptions - which will be submitted to the Scottish Parliament - as well as lobbying of organisations including the Scottish Government, MSPs, councils and trade unions.

We are urging the government to show real support for the essential work carried out by charities by maintaining the current exemptions and reliefs Lucy McTernan SCVO

A motion will also be lodged in the Scottish Parliament.

With the introduction of metering for churches and charities, opponents claim a significant element of the proposed charge will be based on the area of roof and the grounds in which the premises stands.

This means that those premises with larger properties will be disproportionately hit.

Opponents say churches and charities which provide social benefits will be required to pay higher drainage charges than a multinational financial institution, such as a merchant bank occupying a high rent office in a city centre location.

'Additional burden'

Commenting on the launch of the campaign, the Reverend Jock Stein of the Church of Scotland Dunfermline Presbytery, said: "Church premises are used by all kinds of community bodies, including groups like Mothers and Toddlers, Scouts, Guides and Alcoholics Anonymous.

"Often these bodies simply make an annual donation as and when they are able. As a national church we are extremely concerned about the additional burden of water charges.

"The ending of the current exemption would mean that many congregations will be forced to either reduce services, start charging or hike their existing rates. That in turn might be the last straw for some of these community groups, so there is a big knock-on effect."

Lucy McTernan, director of corporate affairs for the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), said it was hearing from concerned charities across the country.

"At a time that they are being required to deliver more of the Scottish Government's social justice agenda, we are urging the government to show real support for the essential work carried out by charities by maintaining the current exemptions and reliefs", she said.