‘Don’t sleepwalk into a Council Tax increase’ - Councillor’s warning to Whitburn residents
South Tyneside councillor warns Whitburn residents of a Council Tax increase should a parish council be established.
Whitburn residents have been warned by a South Tyneside councillor that they are in danger of a Council Tax increase if a parish council is established for the village.
It follows residents in Whitburn supporting proposals to establish a parish council in the first-round consultation by more than two-to-one – though only around 8% of those eligible took part.
Calls to establish a Whitburn Parish Council have been brought forward by the Whitburn Neighbourhood Forum, who say the parish council status would increase local democratic accountability and give residents a stronger voice, including around housebuilding.
‘Another level of costly bureaucracy’
However, Cllr Geraldine Kilgour, South Tyneside’s sole Labour representative, has questioned what additional influence a parish council would give Whitburn given that all major decisions on issues such as planning, licencing and road infrastructure would remain with South Tyneside Council.
Cllr Kilgour said: “The national body overseeing parish councils advises they could provide services such as allotments, car parks, celebrations and festivals, litter bins, parks and open spaces, public toilets and streetlights - services currently provided by South Tyneside Council.
“These proposals have been supported by the Whitburn Neighbourhood Forum, who do some fantastic work encouraging community pride in Whitburn, but I do not believe the outcome of the initial consultation showed significant support in Whitburn for another level of costly bureaucracy.”
‘Don’t sleepwalk into a Council Tax increase’
Cllr Kilgour has also warned Whitburn residents that they will face Council Tax rises should a parish council be established for the village due to additional funding costs being required.
The Fellgate and Hedworth ward councillor added: “Don’t sleepwalk into a Council Tax increase.
“My concern is we could in future see South Tyneside Council, under financial pressure, off-load such service provision to the Whitburn Parish Council, resulting in even larger increases in Council Tax for that area.
“They will also be required to pay for the election of parish councillors from their own parish funds.
“Whitburn residents have an absolute right to make their own judgement on the creation of a new parish council, but they also need to be given the full facts.”
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‘Too early’ for an accurate parish precept
Parish councils add an extra charge, called a precept, to the Council Tax bills of those who live in the parish area, meaning that residents generally pay slightly more than those in unparished areas.
South Tyneside Council has previously told the Shields Gazette that it is “too early” to give residents an accurate figure for a parish precept given the stage of the consultation process.
A spokesperson said: “It is too early to give an accurate figure for any parish precept, which would be an extra charge on Council Tax bills for households within the proposed parish area.
“The amount would depend on the new parish council’s budget, its agreed responsibilities, and the services it chooses to provide.”
Phil Leaf, the Whitburn Neighbourhood Forum chairman, has expressed concerns that the additional financial precept had not been costed by the Council.
He has warned that it had left some residents “in the dark”, creating unnecessary worry.
The forum’s own estimates show a precept of £25 a year per household - around £2 a month – which it claims could generate between £55,000 to £60,000 in revenue.