A charity that supports dozens of community activities each week has been told it is to lose its rates discount, costing it hundreds of pounds.

The Howard de Walden Youth Club in Bluett Street, Maidstone, has been advised by the borough council that its discretionary rates relief will end on March 31 next year.

The council told the charity that all such reliefs were being reviewed, and there would be a chance to respond to a public consultation later in the year.

The charity’s chairman Mike FitzGerald said: “This came as a shock.

“We fought long and hard for this concession which has helped our village halls and community halls support clubs, meetings and activities to meet both the needs of young and old.

“It comes at a time when many organisations are also having other support withdrawn or reduced.

“It is even more bewildering as the letter reads that the concession is being ‘reviewed’, but at the same time we are notified that the concession is to end before apparently the review has taken place.”

The Howard De Walden centre is home to Space 2 Be Me, a group for disabled and special needs children; the Pink Elephants Nursery; the Maidstone Gurkhas Boxing Club; Sing and Sign, a group that stimulates speech and language development in children; and TKMA, a judo and karate club.

It also hosts a taekwondo martial arts club; a yoga club, the children’s group Under The Mushroom Cap, and two faith groups – the Holy Michael Church and Grace Baptist Church.

Mr FitzGerald, a former Mayor of Maidstone, said: “The centre is very well used.

“We would make sure that we survived any loss of rates relief, but if the same thing is happening to other smaller clubs and village halls that are less well used, it could be a disaster for them.”

Under the Local Government Finance Act, registered charities and community and amateur sports clubs are entitled to mandatory rates relief of 80%.

Councils have the discretion to award a further rate relief of anything up to the full 100%. The existing policy has allowed 100% rate relief.

Loss of the relief will cost the charity £1,556 a year.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, is the patron of the Howard de Waldon.

A Maidstone council spokesman said: “Discretionary Rate Relief is awarded on an annual basis to charities and non-profit making organisations.

“Maidstone Borough Council reviews its discretionary policies every few years.

“A year's notice has to be given to organisations if a policy is due to be reviewed and council officers will present the option of reviewing the policy to elected members during 2024/25.

“If councillors vote in favour of the Discretionary Rate Relief policy being reviewed, the council will then consult with local businesses, charities and non-profit making organisations to ensure that the policy supports those making a difference in the local area.

“All current applicants will be able to re-apply for relief before the beginning of the new financial year.”