Sorn

Sorn (Scottish Gaelic: Sorn, meaning a kiln) is a small village in East Ayrshire, Scotland. It is situated on the River Ayr. It has a population of roughly 350. Local services include: a pub, a church, a general store, a motorbike shop and a television shop. There is also a village hall and a bowling green and primary school. In November 2007 the school was threatened with closure by the East Ayrshire Council - see Save Sorn School Campaign website.

Sorn is known for its success in the Britain in Bloom competition. In 2004 it won gold in the "Small Villages" category and has previously won, amongst other awards, the "Highly Commended Certificate" a number of times in the 1980s.

Of notable people born in Sorn, one was the natural historian, author, and educator James Rennie. Another was the famous preacher Alexander Peden; Sorn has a Covenanter history.

Coordinates: 55°30.59′N 4°17.4′W / 55.50983°N 4.2900°W / 55.50983; -4.2900

Sorn (disambiguation)

Sorn may refer to:

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Vehicle Excise Duty

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) (also known as vehicle tax, car tax, and incorrectly as road tax), is a tax that is levied as an excise duty and which must be paid for most types of vehicle which are to be used (or parked) on the public roads in the United Kingdom. A Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) must be made for a registered vehicle that is not being used on the road, and which has been taxed since 31 January 1998. VED, which is collected and enforced by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in Great Britain and by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) in Northern Ireland, raised £5.63 billion in 2009.

Vehicle tax was introduced in the 1888 budget and the current system of excise duty applying specifically to motor vehicles was introduced in 1920. This excise duty was ring-fenced (earmarked) for road construction and was paid directly into a special Road Fund from 1920 until 1937 after which it was treated as general taxation. Even during this period the majority of the cost of road building and improvement came from general and local taxation due to the tax being too low for the upkeep of the roads.