Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Parish and Town Council Precepts

18 April 2023 · 1 other contributor · 4,685 words

Opened by David Morris Con Morecambe and Lunesdale

Responding minister: Lee Rowley

Local Government

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

David Morris raised concerns about parish and town council precepts in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • MP concerned about significant parish council tax rise in Morecambe, reportedly between 231% to 237%.
  • MP calls for a Government taskforce to investigate the matter urgently to ensure legality and propriety.
  • Minister acknowledges the importance of parish and town councils but emphasizes the need for restraint in setting council tax increases.

Key requests to Government

The MP calls for a Government taskforce to investigate this matter urgently to ascertain whether the conduct of Morecambe Town Council is fit and proper and legally compliant.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

David Morris Con Morecambe and Lunesdale

The MP is concerned about the huge parish council tax rise inflicted on his constituents in Morecambe, reportedly between 231% to 237%, which he believes is the highest increase in Britain. He highlights issues such as a rushed budget vote without full papers provided, plans to buy taxpayer-owned land for a community centre despite it not being for sale, and inflated costs for unnecessary projects like architectural fees. The MP also raises concerns about financial misappropriation, including accusations of impropriety from previous audits, and the high salaries of town council officers relative to their services provided.

Other contributors (1)
  • Stewart Hosie SNP Dundee East

    Order. Before the hon. Gentleman moves on, I want to check that he is not speaking about a live court proceeding, but one that is already completed. Order. I am conscious that this is only a half-hour debate and we are now 20 minutes into it. I hope there will be sufficient time for the Minister to respond.

Government Response

Lee Rowley

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hosie. I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale (David Morris) for raising this issue and organising the debate. This is an important subject because it highlights the role of parish and town councils in local communities, which are over 9,000 across the country. The Government recognises that council tax increases should be restrained and expects all tiers of councils to exercise restraint when setting increases. We have not traditionally applied referendum principles to town and parish councils but we expect clear evidence of restraint from them. Regarding powers and transparency, the local government transparency code of 2015 mandates the publication of invoices over £500 and procurement card transactions, with recommendations for contacting authorities or monitoring officers if there are concerns. The minister acknowledged that decisions on precept setting and spending rest mainly with town or parish councils but emphasised the importance of restraint. He expressed willingness to discuss specifics outside the debate and thanked my hon. Friend for highlighting challenges.

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