Council issues 5,000 household charge warning letters
Westmeath County Council has issued warning letters to 5,000 homeowners who haven't paid the household charge.Up to 10,000 - almost a third of Westmeath households - have yet to pay the controversial â¬100 charge introduced by the government earlier this year.While the council hasn't yet followed the example of the local authority in Mayo and started bringing people to court, a spokesman has confirmed that over 5,000 warning letters have been issued to homeowners who haven't paid."We are endeavouring to issue a couple of hundred a week until done," he said.Meanwhile, the Westmeath branch of the Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes (CAHWT) has vowed to support residents who face legal proceedings for refusing to pay the tax.The CAHWT has retained a barrister and a number of solicitors to represent householders who need assistance.Local activist Mags Glennon told the Westmeath Examiner that homeowners in need of advice should contact CAHWT.