5 % Increase to Town Council Precept for 2017/18
At Full Council on Monday 9th January 2017, Council Members voted to raise the Precept contribution received from the East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) by 5% for the Year 2017/18. To clarify, the Precept is a sum of money the Town Council receives from the ERYC to manage localised services for the forthcoming year. This money is taken out of your overall Council Tax premium for your property, in the same manner as other bodies such as Humberside Police and the Fire Service who also receive a proportion of your overall tax payment.
In relation to an average Band D property, for example, this equates to an additional £3.60 to the YEARLY council tax bill, raising the Precept contribution to Snaith and Cowick to £75.65. This means residents on a Band D contribute £1.45 per week to the Town Council Precept, which is an increase of only 6p per week from last year.
This decision was not made lightly. In the past year, the ERYC have made several cuts in funding the Town Council receives, one of significance being the Parish Paths Partnership. This is a grant of nearly £2,000 which the Town Council uses to maintain many of the well used public rights of way throughout the parish. This is no longer being provided, and with the Walkers are Welcome accreditation that we have and the visitors that brings to the area, we are fully aware of the need to maintain these footpaths. We have also been advised that no further grants will be awarded for supporting the provision of Youth Services, therefore the financial burden of continuing the Snaith Youth Club will be borne solely by the Town Council.
In total, the Town Council have had £6,700 withdrawn from various funding streams for the forthcoming year, which had supported many local services. Without this increase in the Precept, the retention and continued operation of these and other services for the benefit of its residents would need to be reviewed.