Bridgnorth youth club accommodates neighbouring parishes, says councillor

Ron Whittle said nearly a quarter of attendees at Innage Lane Youth Club were from outside of Bridgnorth Town Council's district, but no additional funding for the club was coming from neighbouring authorities.

It comes after fears were raised about the future of youth provision in the town when councillors decided against increasing council tax in order to raise the recommended £15,000 to run the youth club for one year.

The council instead set aside £7,500 to pay for the service and discussed the possibilities of grant funding.

Councillor Whittle, who represents East ward, said: "Apart from the fact that the youth club reaches just a very small number of our children, nearly 25 per cent of those attending were from Tasley parish, which would indicate that Tasley Parish Council should contribute about £3,500 towards the future of this club.

"Nevertheless in setting their budget for next year they decided not to even contribute a proposed £500 towards the club.

"This leaves the residents of Bridgnorth possibly paying for Tasley children. This is even more remarkable when Tasley parish tax averages about £20 per house per year, while in Bridgnorth parish tax will be more than £140 – seven times as much.

"This should not be seen as an attack on Tasley but graphically demonstrates the inequality of the parish tax system throughout the UK."

Fellow East ward representative Councillor Julia Buckley said she was "disappointed" the full £15,000 had not been set aside to fund the youth club after Shropshire Council withdrew its funding.

Councillor Whittle added: "In my time on the town council most of us have tried to balance maintaining and improving services with ensuring that increased tax on our residents is kept to a sensible level. For next year the increase is around 1.8 per cent. I suppose many may accept that even though the preference of a number of councillors, in these difficult times, was to apply a nil increase.

"It is too easy for councillors to suggest increased expenditure for this, that and the other but sometimes common sense should prevail to protect our residents' finances.

"All of this does not mean the youth club funding will not be met. For example the councillor who has raised this matter with such vigour also indicated that there was various grant funding available."