The charity, Tayside Children with Cancer and Leukaemia, has won a 50% reduction in the council tax bill for its lodge located in St Andrews. TCCL Lodge, located in Horseleys Park, is a holiday home which is available free of charge to families who are affected by childhood cancer and leukaemia. It was opened three years ago following a fundraising campaign which raised £500,000. The idea behind the lodge is to give respite to families from the arduous treatments often involved for children with cancer and leukaemia, by enjoying a holiday together.
Council co-leader David Ross said: “Given the nature of the services provided by TCCL Lodge, the council has made the decision to allow this property to be treated as having exceptional circumstances and thus authorise the awarded a 50% discount backdated to April 2016.
Co-leader David Alexander added: “The charity is going to be able to help more families following the decision to reduce their council tax by 50%, with the backdated refund an added bonus.”
Commenting on the decision, TCCL Lodge Chair, Dr Rosalie Wilkie thanked politicians who had supported the campaign to reduce the charity’s tax bill and the council for agreeing the lodge was an exceptional case for tax purposes. She said: “All our funds come from charitable donations and therefore this reduction in costs will be used to support more families for a holiday at the lodge.”
St Andrews SNP councillor Ann Verner, who had raised the issue with the local authority, was “delighted”. She said: “TCCL is very well supported locally and many people have been concerned that the charity was having to use cash raised by fundraising events etcetera to pay the council tax. “It’s great news that more of this money can now go to helping families of children with cancer and I am very grateful to council officers for their hard work on this.”
For information about TCCL Lodge, go to https://www.tccl-lodge.org.uk/
