Dear Editor,

The issue I’m highlighting is the ability of parish and town councils to make unlimited percentage increases in their precepts without the need to consult with their electorate.

This issue has been reported nationally, and is now frequently happening at a local level, thereby placing an ever increasing financial burden on local residents who may least be able to afford it.

I am writing to make local residents aware that Walford Parish Councillors have unanimously agreed to raise the parish precept by over 50% for the coming year. Is this a record for a Herefordshire parish precept rise?

Unlimited percentage precept increases can be implemented by Parish and Town Councils whereas District, County and Unitary authorities (such as Herefordshire Council) must hold a public referendum should they wish to increase their charges by more than 1.9%, plus a legally permitted 3% specifically designated to provide social care. Herefordshire Council regularly carries out consultations on its various service provisions and how electors may wish to fund them.

Whilst there is no legal constraint on Parish and Town Councils, our local Councillors should surely have a moral responsibility to protect taxpayers (which includes themselves) from excessive increases. They should be mindful of how the community might feel about any proposals which will incur significant charges and for which existing resources aren’t available to provide eg through their reserves.

Such excessive increases only serve to place an ever increasing financial burden on the very people Councillors may be seeking to help. Surely this isn’t reasonable democracy?

There have been reports of precept increases as high as 1200% so perhaps Walford residents should think themselves ‘lucky’ - but they should be aware of the potential for this process to spiral well out of our control unless we, the electorate, rise up and firmly ask our local representatives to be accountable on our behalf.

Name and Address supplied

Editor’s note: The Clerk of Walford Parish Council told the Ross Gazette:?“A Parish Newsletter will be published at the end of March, with a full explanation of the budget for 2017-18 and the reasons for the precept increase; this Newsletter will go out to to all households in the Parish of Walford. The budget calculations for 2017-18 will be uploaded onto the website.

The precept last year was £17,133. The charge for a band D property was £26.74. The proposed precept for the coming year is £26,133. This figure is low in comparison to many Parish Councils of our size in Herefordshire.