More eagle-eyed residents of Bepton will have spotted that Bepton’s share of the latest Council Tax bill increased by  29%. This is a large increase by any standards.

However, there is a straightforward answer to this. The Parish Council reduced its precept in 2016-17 from £4,500 to £3,700. We did this because we were conscious that we had a relatively healthy Reserve. However, it became clear to the Council that this may have been a little premature, given the increasing demands on the Council. The Council therefore reviewed the Precept against a background of an increase to the clerk’s salary, expenses and gratuity (the latter is in lieu of a pension); an increase in the donation to Bepton Parochial Church Council; and an increase in the amount set aside for grass mowing and other amenity work, because the County Council  would no longer be undertaking small local amenity work.

The Precept breaks down as follows:

Band D 2017-18 Precept of £4,820 divided by Tax base 148.3 arrives at Band D equivalent of £32.50.

As a comparator , the previous year’s was :

Band D 2016-17 Precept of £3,700 divided by Tax base 146.8 arrives at Band D equivalent of £25.20.Bepton