Call for rebate to London Colney taxpayers

A �10 refund for household should be made to everyone in a parish according to a concerned councillor. Independent London Colney parish councillor Malcolm Macmillan has accused fellow councillors of incompetence after discovering that the parish council h

A �10 refund for household should be made to everyone in a parish according to a concerned councillor.

Independent London Colney parish councillor Malcolm Macmillan has accused fellow councillors of incompetence after discovering that the parish council has a spare �56,000 in a bank account which was not included in its budget.

Cllr Macmillan said the parish council had to raise �204,000 from council tax so he could not understand why the �56,000 was not in the budget in order to reduce the amount to be raised or redistribute it in additional services.

He said: "Instead of gloating about no increase in the budget they should be giving London Colney people money back of at least �10 per household.

"This is not about the personal attributes of individuals but more about the incompetence in managing financial information."

But parish council clerk Gill Patschinsky insisted the �56,000 held in a bank account was there for emergencies.

She said: "Government guidelines say it is acceptable to keep reasonable working capital for contingencies."

But Cllr Macmillan believes the sum should at the very least be declared in the budget or some of it dedicated to community projects.

And he said: "My �10 per household rebate seems a better idea in the absence of any specific project. Better the money in the accounts of the ratepayers than in the bank account of the parish.