www.Tarletonpc.co.uk

You are here: Home > Local Governance > Your Parish Council - The Precept

Your Parish Council - The Precept

The Parish Council is the first layer of local administration.

The next layer is the District Council with Lancashire County Council as the top layer of local governance.

The County Council deal with such matters as schools, roads, and environment etc.

The District Council deal with matters such as waste collection, housing and planning,

The Parish Council administer such matters as local grass verge cutting, local childrens play facilities, local footpaths, tree maintenance, wayside seats, bus shelters, local playing fields, and off street local parking.

The Parish Council set a "precept" to pay for these services which is collected with your council tax.

The District Council set the Council Tax and it is based on what they are charged by the County Council.

Westminster agree with County Councils what the County Rate will be.

The way in which your council tax is arrived at is worth explaining.

Firstly, how is the Total Council Tax made up?

The County Council take 75%; The Police Authority take approx 9%; The Fire Authority take approx 4% and the District Council take approx 12%.

The property you live in is in a valuation band. The amount of Council Tax you pay can vary according to the valuation band.

Each Parish is then allowed to raise a small amount to be added to this Council Tax to pay for local expenditure. This is called the “Parish Precept”.

What is this “Parish Precept” spent on?

It’s generally the bits the other two layers of governance are not interested in!

•     We have the power to provide Bus Shelters and Public Seats.

•     We have the power to provide Community Centres.

•     We have powers to spend money on crime prevention measures.

•     We have the power to deal with ponds and ditches in relation to drainage including dealing with offensive ditches.

•     We have the power to be consulted on highways issues.

•     We have the power to invest in land (by way of the Public Loans Board)

•     We have the power to provide Public Conveniences.

•     We have the power to contribute toward cemeteries.

•     We have a right to contribute to traffic calming schemes.

•     There are many, many more (including providing wash houses!) but they are not necessarily applicable to Tarleton.