Charity Hit with Wrong Tax Bill, Finally Gets Refund

0:00A lest-assure charity called Loveboro's Citizens Advice Bureau got hit with the wrong tax bill from Charne Woodboro Council. They were charged that climate change levy on energy, even though charities are fully exempt from it. This makes up tied up potentially thousands of pounds that could have helped local folks with three advice services. The bureau flagged the problem back in March 2025, but it dragged on for nearly a year with no full refund in sight. At their latest board meeting, trustees were still pushing for resolution, highlighting how the cash was stuck instead of aiding residents. Counselor Sarah Foxx, who serves on the charity's trusty board, brought it up at a council meeting on April 20th. She stressed that, while errors happen, the slow-response showed priorities were off, especially since that money was meant for community support, not bureaucracy. Turns out, the delay stemmed from the council's energy supplier messing up the property classification. Officers fixed the records, verified everything, and finally issued the refund, which the

1:03bureau has now confirmed. Council leader Joel Maya assured they'd look into preventing this for other charities, though for now, it's on groups to check their bills. Still, the council's backed the bureau with extra funding levy, aiming to keep their vital work rolling without more hitches. That's the story for today. Lester News Today, Driven by AI. I'm Cory with the Story.