BRADFORD on Avon Town Council has slammed a plan it says would effectively stop it from functioning and being able to improve the town.

It is angry at Government plans to put a cap on how much town and parish councils can raise their council tax, forcing councils at all levels to hold a referendum if they want to put up precepts by more than two per cent.

The town council which, unlike larger local authorities, does not receive funding from business rates or direct government grants, says this would hit it hard.

A pressure group led by Cllr Laurie Brown is to voice its opposition to the government and will ask Tory MP Michelle Donelan to lobby against the move in parliament.

“This is the most draconian proposal since they took away the business tax from town councils who do not receive government grants. It is just an outrageous waste of taxpayers’ money,” said Cllr Brown.

“It is an unnecessary intervention in democracy and is totally opposite to the government’s policy on localism. It will destroy the ability of town councils to rescue services currently being discarded by principal councils such as Wiltshire Council.

“If we raise our precept from £458,000 to £500,000, the two per cent that would be allowed would only raise £10,000, which is not much at all, and that is very worrying.

“This will jeopardise the ability of town and parish councils to take on crucial services that county councils no longer run such as youth and community centres, play areas, parks, sports facilities, toilets, libraries and children’s centres.”

According to Cllr Brown, the cost of a referendum, over £25,000 in Bradford, would outweigh any benefit from raising the council tax.

“The town council will be caught by any potential legislation due to the extra 138 houses at Kingston Farm and the 60 houses as part of the Spitfire development, whether it raises taxes or not,” he said.

Wiltshire Council leader Baroness Jane Scott said the level of precept should be decided locally and not by the government.

“I am sure that this will cause some concerns for towns and parishes. They receive no government money and are accountable to their residents and therefore, to put it bluntly, the level of precept should be decided locally and not by government.

“As far as a referendum is concerned this would impose extra costs on the town or parish that chooses to have one, putting additional pressure on the precept.

“I feel very strongly that capping of town and parishes is not acceptable and will lobby personally on this.” The consultation runs until October 28.