RELIEF from Purbeck’s controversial ‘bedroom tax’ could come sooner than expected.

The district council has ordered a review into its transport infrastructure charge – which sees homeowners slapped with a £1,000 fee per room when they extend their properties – in the wake of fierce criticism.

A public meeting will be held on May 18 at the council offices but one councillor is bidding to speed up the process.

At the next council meeting on April 14, Coun Mike Lovell will put forward a motion calling on his colleagues to suspend the charge for 12 months as a reaction to the recession.

He said: “We have already said we’re going to look at this but it cannot get onto the agenda until May, so I thought the best way to get this moving is to suspend it now. The sooner we can give help the better.”

Campaigners say people extending their homes should not be classed as developers but the council has defended its policy, saying it has to make up for a shortfall in government cash to invest in Purbeck’s transport.

Coun Lovell added: “I’ve never really been a fan of the charge anyway, because I feel the government has been shirking its responsibilities on these things because they’ve told us we have to get it from the local people rather than getting it out of central funds.”

It is also thought that new planning rules, exempting certain home extensions from planning permission, would see the end of the tax.