Melksham Without Parish Council set its precept at its Full Council meeting held on Monday 23rd January.
The council agreed to set its precept – the proportion of council tax paid to the parish council – at £178,000 for the 2017/18 financial year, which is £43,000.27 less than in 2016/17, a decrease of 19.5%. This means that the average Band D household will contribute £70.19, a rise of £1.25 (10p per month) an increase of 1.81% on last year. B and D properties are used as a measure of the national average, and some households will see a smaller or bigger increase, based on their Band rating for council tax.
The council agreed that although there was a loss of precept income from the movement of 733 houses out of the parish (some £46,000 less), it had not reduced the parish council’s liabilities in any way and therefore there would have to be an increase to the average Band D payment just to reach a “standstill” position. The council had taken on a lot of additional responsibility in the last year (Wiltshire Council play areas, cleaning of bus shelters including those of Wiltshire Council, supporting public toilets in town and the decision to take on the ex George Ward playing fields in the Parish) and had been restrained in its planned Expenditure for 2017/18.
A copy of the parish council budget is available to view on the Council’s website www.melksham without.co.uk or a copy can be obtained from the office at Crown Chambers, First Floor, 7 Market Place, Melksham, Wiltshire, SN12 6ES during the public opening hours of Tuesday and Thursday 9.30am to 2.30pm.
For up to date information on news from the council and the parish in general you can follow the parish council in the following ways: Contact Teresa Strange (Clerk) for additional community news or on twitter @melkshamwithout, on Facebook or visit our website www.melkshamwithout.co.uk
