Wheatley Hill Parish Council approved its budget for 2023-2024 in the sum of £130,279 at a meeting of the Parish Council held on 12 December 2022.
The introduction by Central Government of a Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme grant which replaced the Council Tax Benefit Scheme significantly changed the calculation of the tax-base upon which Council Tax is calculated. Town and parish councils are not financially independent and are reliant upon Central Government grant support to compensate for the loss of tax-base. The grant support is paid to Durham County Council who then redistribute the grant to parishes but the County Council is under no obligation to do this. Durham County Council as our billing authority has agreed to redistribute the relevant part of the Central Government grant for 2023-2024.
The Parish Council requires a budget of £130.279 for the 2023/2024 financial year. To off-set the budget the Parish Council will use £3,792 of reserves and receive a Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme grant of £9,321. After deducting the £3,792 reserves and the £9,321 grant from the Council’s budget this will produce a precept requirement of £117,166. The total amount requested from Durham County Council for 2023/2024 is £126,487.
This is an increase of 0.22% to the precept which would provide the Parish Council with an additional £1,144 to spend. This equates to a standstill charge for a Band D property in Wheatley Hill which is £150.29.
