SNETTISHAM: ‘Think again’ plea over big rise in precept
Some villagers are calling on a parish council to go back to the drawing board after agreeing to almost double its precept.
Derek Ebbs have hit out at Snettisham Parish Council after it raised its levy from £40,000 to £76,000.
But council chairman Eric Langford is disappointed with the response as no comments were made at the last meeting when the precept was set.
Mr Ebbs said: “The amount they are asking for is ridiculous because they have sufficient money without increasing the precept.”
Mick Thorpe said in an email to the Lynn News: “It would seem to me that the parish council are setting the precept at this level as a safety net, at the expense of the parishoners.”
Mr Langford said the precept was a “big job” due to the challenges posed by its assets, such as the beach car park, along with fraud.
In 2011, former clerk Beverley Boughen was jailed for 18 months after she pleaded guilty to five offences of theft from parish councils, including Snettisham.
Mr Langford said: “I am happy and content as chairman that the council gave a lot of time to discuss and debate what had to be done and what could not be done.
“Pensioners seem to be the most concerned that services are not kept up to scratch.”
Mr Langford said the council was advised not to use the £70,000 from Barclays Bank for operational costs.
The council has also budgeted in £12,000 for a handyman to do jobs such as mending benches and cutting trees rather than use a tree surgeon.
The council is estimating the costs for the beach car to be £2,000 and could also be facing a rent rise for this site.
The council is also looking to improve street lighting, re-surface the market square and restoring the memorial cross.
It is also looking at restoring a butterfly mosaic in the Newbridge Recreational area. This mosaic had been overgrown until recently when it was cleared.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 14 C
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