However, many of you will be receiving your Council Tax bills which show an increment in the amount for Grimsargh Parish Council of 3%. This is because of a change in how the Council Tax is calculated. The nature of the change is a little complicated, but Preston City Council provided this explanation:
"The reason for the change is that the Council Tax base has reduced. The reason for the reduction is that in previous years properties where residents claimed council tax benefit were included in the council tax base, as the council tax for these households was reclaimed from Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). For 2013/14 instead of claiming the council tax from the DWP the Government have included an amount of money, (which is 10% less than previously claimed from DWP) in the Revenue Support Grant they allocate to the Council. Because this money is coming into the Council by way of a grant the properties involved have to be taken out of the council tax base calculation. Therefore this reduces the council tax base, which means although your parish cost has remained the same because there are less properties to share the cost across everyone pays a little bit more."
(Item posted 20th March 2013)