Council split as £58.16 precept is approved

AFTER three years of  zero increases in the local Council Tax, Frodsham Town Council has reluctantly approved a precept for the coming year of £58.16.
This compares with a precept of £40.38, originally recommended by the council’s Policy and Process Committee on January 6, which was itself an increase of £2 over last year’s figure.
An extraordinary general meeting of the council  split 5-4 on the issue.
Chairman Mike Pusey said: “In an ideal world we would never increase the precept to our residents, but after subsidising increases in recent years by using money from the council’s cash reserves, it was felt an increase was now unavoidable.
“Part of the increase has been due to ensuring the council continues to comply with the minimum wage payment and new pension schemes.
“Councillors have worked tirelessly over the last few weeks to minimise any rise and it is hoped the increase for 2016 will help Frodsham Town Council keep any rise in future years to a minimum.”
Cllr Frank Pennington – one of four councillors who opposed the increase – was furious.
After the meeting he said: “I am very unhappy about this. I think it is unnecessary and will be unaffordable for many people living in Frodsham.
“There are many senior citizens who have to exist on £86-a-week. They will be badly hit by this.  I shall be having a lot more to say about this.”
The other members who opposed the increase were Cllr Linda Brown, Cllr Mallie Poulton and Cllr Tom Reynolds.
Originally, the Policy and Process Committee had recommended taking money from council reserves to keep the increase to 2p – the amount necessary to cover increases in the minimum wage and pension costs.
But the council’s budget meeting was unable to reach agreement on this, leading to the extraordinary general meeting which made the final decision.
The precept is used  to provide services and facilities for Frodsham including the allotments, cemetery, play areas, community orchards, Hob Hey Wood, Christmas Lights, the Christmas Festival, New Year’s Eve fireworks, grants to support to Frodsham Youth Association and other community groups, part-fund PCSO, some footpaths and the Festival of Walks.