Town council's pending cut after grant is held back
A town council in Shropshire has slashed £12,000 off its annual budget to make sure residents pay a lower proportion of council tax than in previous years.
Councillors in Much Wenlock agreed to halve the property budget to ensure its precept was not increased.
The council had previously written to Keith Barrow, leader of Shropshire Council, to express their dismay at losing out on £14,000. It followed the county council's decision to stop paying Government grants to town and parish councils.
Shropshire Council has said removing the grants will save the unitary authority £511,000 in the next financial year with further savings to be made in the future – a move which was rubber-stamped by the authority this week.
Sharon Clayton, clerk of Much Wenlock Town Council, said: "The precept for 2015 to 2016 has been agreed at £177,520. The cost per household for a band D equivalent is £152.67 per annum, some 74p per annum lower than last year despite growing demands on the town council's resources.
"We had been including £24,000 per annum in our budget for property but for next year we have trimmed this to £12,000."
Shropshire Council leader Keith Barrow this week defended plans to stop paying Government grants to town and parish councils.
He said the £511,000 saved by withholding the council tax support grant payments would be a vital step towards addressing the "budgetary pressures" at Shirehall.
A number of councils have increased their precept already, with Worfield and Rudge Parish Council increasing its by 1.99 per cent after losing a £1,000 grant.
Meanwhile, Wem Town Council passed a vote of no confidence in Shropshire Council after it missed out on £30,000 in funding.
