Last night parishioners approved an increase in the parish rate of about 32 per cent to 2.65p from last year’s rate of 2p at the annual rate assembly at the Town Hall.The outcome was a far cry from the controversial decision taken last year to leave the parish’s finances in a desperate state with a real threat of bankruptcy hanging over the administration.
As a result of setting the rate at 2p last year, the parish ran at a loss of £1.7m in 2002/03.
However, this was less then the administration’s projected loss of £2.1m as a result of savings made.But a proposal to set the rate at 2.85p per quarter – supported by the Constable, Simon Crowcroft, and his administration – was defeated.
Had that been adopted, a £655,000 deficit carried forward from the financial year 2002/03 would have been wiped out.
