Council Tax Chaos: From Manvell to Mayhem in Just over 30 Days

The recent mishandling of Council Tax and Business Rates direct debits by Wealden District Council is not just a regrettable administrative error; it is an outright failure of leadership, accountability, and communication. This fiasco, which saw over 17,500 residents and 324 businesses charged prematurely just days after Christmas, has caused unnecessary financial distress to many. While apologies have been issued, they ring hollow in the face of inadequate leadership from Councillors Daniel Manvell (Labour) and Rachel Millward (Green Party & Leader of the Council), the two portfolio holders primarily responsible for the mess.

Daniel Manvell: Silent in the Face of Crisis

When Cllr Manvell assumed the portfolio, he stated, “It is a huge privilege to become one of the youngest cabinet members in the country… I look forward to working with the rest of the Alliance to deliver better public services for Wealden residents.” Yet, when faced with his first real test of leadership, he has failed spectacularly. Instead of demonstrating the proactive, communicative leadership residents deserve, Manvell has disappeared into the shadows, leaving others to clean up the mess. Some may even be wondering whether he’s gone on an extended festive holiday. Wealden’s own Scarlet Pimpernel?

His silence is even more egregious when contrasted with the gravity of this error. Over 17,500 households have been affected, with potential claims against the Council looming. Councillor Michael Lunn, in his response to the situation, correctly described it as a “major failing of the Council,” noting the scale and implications of the error. Residents deserve an advocate who takes ownership, communicates transparently, and acts decisively in times of crisis. Manvell has done none of these things.

His inexperience and unwillingness to engage with residents and stakeholders have compounded the distress caused by this debacle. Councillor Gareth Owen-Williams suggests that “mistakes do happen” and that this should not be a witch-hunt. However, this is not just about a mistake—it is about the total absence of leadership from someone whose portfolio directly oversees the affected areas. Manvell has proven himself incapable of meeting the demands of his role. He must resign immediately to allow someone more experienced and competent to take charge. Although, given the calibre of the Labour/Green Party/Liberal Democrat Alliance Administration, finding such a person may be wishful thinking.

Rachel Millward: Communications Portfolio in Name Only

Councillor Rachel Millward, as the Cabinet Member for Communications, must also shoulder significant blame. The Council’s response—a late press release on Christmas Eve and sparse social media posts—was woefully inadequate. It was quickly overtaken by posts on how to recycle wrapping paper and another questionable climate change consultation. Despite holding a position specifically focused on communication (which she described as her area of professional competence), Cllr Millward failed to mobilise an effective strategy to inform residents, many of whom only discovered the issue when they saw their bank accounts unexpectedly debited.

Cllr Millward’s response to inquiries has only deepened the concerns. Her claim that “time was against us” is a poor excuse, especially given that the Council has access to over 22,000 email addresses via its “Wealden Weekly” newsletter. This channel was inexplicably not utilised, even though it could have provided timely and direct updates to affected residents. Councillor Lunn has rightly pointed out that her explanation “does not make sense” and raises further questions about the adequacy of her response. Moreover, her lack of transparency with fellow councillors—leaving them uninformed—reflects poorly on her ability to manage critical situations. That is to say nothing of the disrespect to fellow Councillors in terms of appraising them of the process.

Councillor Owen-Williams has suggested that internal staff should conduct the review into this failure. Perhaps unsurprising as he as a Member of the Alliance described what happened as a “minor mistake” (I’m not sure those affected will see it that way). However, as Lunn points out, such an approach risks being perceived as a cover-up. Cllr Millward, as the Communications lead, bears significant responsibility for this perception, having failed to ensure clear and credible messaging to both residents and Members of the Council, leaving them in the dark around the cause of the issue, the proposed remedy, or even the basic facts to enable them to answer resident’s queries.

A Broader Pattern of Failure: The Labour/Green Party/Liberal Democrat Alliance Administration

This debacle is not an isolated incident; it reflects a broader pattern of incompetence and misplaced priorities under the Labour/Green Party/Liberal Democrat Alliance Administration. Residents have already endured a series of blunders, from an ailing Local Plan to abrogation in statutory service provision. Time and again, this administration has shown itself to be more focused on ideological vanity projects (some costing millions in public funds) than on the practical needs of the community.

The Alliance Administration’s failure to prioritise core statutory duties is no surprise to those who have watched their tenure unfold. Their climate change posturing and virtue-signalling might make for good headlines, but it does little to address the pressing concerns of Wealden’s residents. Perhaps they could at least try balancing their lofty ambitions with a modicum of competence. Instead, they seem intent on treating governance like an undergraduate political experiment—sadly, at the expense of Wealden’s taxpayers.

A Call for Accountability

This debacle is more than just a technical error (an area where I have seen inconsistencies in the explanations provided); it is another failure of governance on the Alliance watch. It has exposed serious flaws in the Council’s leadership and communication systems. Residents deserve a full and independent investigation to uncover how this error occurred, who was responsible, and why the response was so inadequate.

Councillor Manvell’s silence and inaction are indefensible. His failure to engage with residents and address their concerns demonstrates a lack of leadership and accountability that cannot be ignored. If he cannot perform the basic duties of his role, he should resign immediately. His inexperience and ineffectiveness have already cost the Council dearly in terms of public trust.

Councillor Millward must also answer for the communication failures on her watch. If she cannot ensure clear and effective communication in times of crisis, then serious questions must be asked about her suitability for her role. Leaders need to take responsibility for actions of those they claim to lead.

As Councillor Lunn has stated, “Using internal staff to conduct a review will be seen as a cover-up.” This cannot happen. An independent, external review must be conducted to restore public confidence. Residents have been let down by those entrusted to serve them, and accountability must be enforced. After all, let’s not forget that the Alliance promises to be “Open, Honest and Transparent” in their Council Strategy. Are these genuine promises or merely platitudes?

The residents of Wealden deserve better than this. It is time for accountability, transparency, and, if necessary, new leadership to restore trust in the Council’s ability to serve its community.

Wealden residents have been shortchanged both literally and figuratively by a Fawlty Towers-style response to the crisis.

Update (29/12/2024)

Shortly after this was published. Councillor Manvell suddenly sprung into action emailing the rest of the Council. I won’t repeat it here but suffice to say it’s not particularly confidence inspiring. Councillor Manvell is yet to resign. Let’s see how the following weeks unfold but it’s not looking good for the “youngest Cabinet Member in the Country”

For residents affected, Wealden published yet another press release, this time containing some FAQ’s for people affected by this issue. You can find that release here.

**I’m always happy to correct factual errors. Please email me if you identify some and they will be corrected asap**