Town Mayor, Councillor Roberta Bampton said: ‘The Town Council is pleased to announce that despite the huge inflationary pressures being felt by all sectors we have been able to keep the increase in the precept demand for 22/23 below the rate of inflation. The Town Council’s precept continues to be significantly less than the national average and is a tiny proportion of residents’ total council tax bill, with most of the council tax going to Kirklees Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner and the fire and rescue authorities. At a total cost of less than a pound a week for an average property, our services continue to represent value for money’.
Raising money through the precept is necessary for the following reasons:
Cuts to grant funding
Unfortunately, Kirklees Council has significantly reduced the grant it provides to the Town Council from over £7,000 a few years ago to nothing at all for the 22/23 financial year. The Town Council needs to replace this funding to protect the services it provides which includes providing allotments, litter picking and environmental improvements, children’s play areas, park facilities and maintenance, playing fields and gardens, public toilets, and sports facilities
Protecting Meltham Services
As Kirklees Council has cut services, the Town Council has and is stepping in to protect and provide services for the residents of Meltham – e.g., contributing significantly to the provision of library services in Meltham and arranging for footpaths and public spaces to be cut back of vegetation and cleared of litter.
Improving our area
The Council listened to what residents wanted when we undertook the Ask Meltham project and monies raised through the precept will go on putting in place actions to address the priorities that residents highlighted. The Council continues to set aside monies for improvements to the Town Centre to ensure Meltham is an attractive place to live, work and visit. For example, this spring we are providing hanging baskets in the Town Centre to replace those that Kirklees Council used to provide until this year, as well as lots of additional baskets to brighten up our area. We are well underway with a major improvement scheme to further enhance Robert Ashton Memorial Park over the coming years, as well as providing more events and activities in the park as requested by residents. We have now given significant grants to 2 businesses in Meltham to help them improve their shop fronts and improve the look of the Town Centre.
Helping others to deliver for our residents
We continue to make both capital and smaller grants to community groups in Meltham or who provide services to Meltham residents
The Town Mayor, Councillor Roberta Bampton continues: ‘The Town Council must be financially self-supporting. We receive no funding apart from the precept (other than a very small amount from allotment rentals and investment income) and we provide a wide range of services including allotments, litter picking and environmental improvements, children’s play areas, park facilities and maintenance, playing fields and gardens, public toilets, and sports facilities. We subsidise the library to protect this essential service in Meltham and make substantial grants to Meltham organisations to support community led activities.’
