‘We own and run our village hall’ - parish council responds to council tax report
Wimblington has been revealed as the most expensive place to pay council tax in Cambridgeshire. Wimblington Parish Council has responded to the report. Pictured is Wimblington Parish Hall - Credit: Archant
Wimblington Parish Council has responded to a recent report that highlighted the village is the most expensive place to pay council tax in Cambridgeshire.
In the report, it was revealed that the parish has the highest council tax in the county, with a Band D council tax rate for this year being £2,142,68.
Of this total amount £1,469.61 goes to the county council, £74.97 to the fire authority, £257.58 to the Police and Crime Commissioner, £260.46 to Fenland District Council, and £80.06 to Wimblington Parish Council.
In response to the above report, Wimblington Parish Council’s clerk has issued the following response.
“Unlike most parishes, we own and run our village hall and have recently been refurbishing it, but still have the kitchen and a flat roof which need a full repair this year," they said.
The clerk stated that the parish council owns and manages a cemetery and the war memorial playing field and that they have ongoing drainage work to do in both which will be in the thousands.
“We also have a children’s play area in the playing field which we are responsible for and get no financial assistance from the district council,” they said.
“The land and buildings at Parkfield are owned by us and we have landlord responsibilities."
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Every year, the parish council receives a ROSPA report where they must see to maintenance of any issues notified.
This year, the council has had to budget for a large amount of replacement fencing and they also wish to put in mains sewage capacity at Parkfield.
“We have many trees which will need looping etc this year and have a large cost for cutting grass,” said the clerk.
They added that “there is still the anomaly that parish councils must maintain and power their own 96 streetlights whereas the towns are paid for by the district council.”
“We’ve included in this year’s budget a solar powered MVAS camera to compliment the one we have gained a grant for. We have two other MVAS cameras to service and maintain too.
“We have the budget for all this work and our general overheads which we expect to increase dramatically with the increased price for electricity and gas, materials and labour etc.”
