AQW 5183/10

Mrs Naomi Long
Alliance Party
East Belfast

Tabled Date: 25/02/2010
Answered On Date: 02/03/2010
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of the Environment, in relation to the High Hedges consultation document, what fees may be levied against a complainant by a council when a complaint about an offending hedge is received; and would such fees be refunded if the council decides to uphold the complaint.

Answer:

Under the draft legislation councils have discretionary powers to levy fees for complaints. Councils may decide to refund all or part of a fee in certain circumstances, for example where a complainant is financially disadvantaged. However it is not anticipated that councils will as a rule refund fees to complainants where a complaint has resulted in a remedial notice being issued and the height of a hedge reduced to a reasonable height.