Given the prevailing economic climate with its attendant doom-sayers, its great to be able to celebrate something. Doubly so when its your own town that has proved itself better than all the rest. And so it is if you look at the Precept that is charged by South Somerset's 121 Town Councils in Fiscal 2008/9.
Now in total amounts, Somerton (£220,000) doesn't charge as much a some (although the Town Council are clearly trying very hard) and it is only in 4th place behind Yeovil (£783,925), Chard (£529,505) and Crewkerne (£229,200) in terms of total Precept charged. But, when you start to look at the amount of the Precept and divide that across the total properties in the Town, that's when Somerton really powers into the lead. Based upon the Precept for 2008/9, Somerton is the only SSDC Council to impose a level of Precept in triple figures at £100.69p per residence. In comparison, Yeovil lags far, far behind in 6th place with a charge per residence of only £58.84p
Somerton's dominance in the Precept League is again underscored when you consider the average Precept charged by the 121 Town Councils in South Somerset. The average Precept charged per property across those Councils is a paltry £24.85p and Somerton exceeds that by close to 400%. Somerton again charges more than 8 times (8.21 times to be precise) the average total Precept across those same 121 Councils at £220,000 compared to an average of £26,773.43p
So, its official. Somerton has the greediest, most money grabbing Town Council in South Somerset, bar none. Doesn't that make you feel good about yourself?
Next time I'll start to look at what Somerton's Town Council spends our hard earned rates on.
Till next time.
Niall
PS In case you think that I'm making this up (and I wouldn't be surprised if you did) then the figures are in the public domain here www.southsomerset.gov.uk/media/pdf/a/a/PARISH_TAXING_TIMES_08-09.pdf with additional population figures here www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/statistics/contents/population/estimates/2002mye/
Now in total amounts, Somerton (£220,000) doesn't charge as much a some (although the Town Council are clearly trying very hard) and it is only in 4th place behind Yeovil (£783,925), Chard (£529,505) and Crewkerne (£229,200) in terms of total Precept charged. But, when you start to look at the amount of the Precept and divide that across the total properties in the Town, that's when Somerton really powers into the lead. Based upon the Precept for 2008/9, Somerton is the only SSDC Council to impose a level of Precept in triple figures at £100.69p per residence. In comparison, Yeovil lags far, far behind in 6th place with a charge per residence of only £58.84p
Somerton's dominance in the Precept League is again underscored when you consider the average Precept charged by the 121 Town Councils in South Somerset. The average Precept charged per property across those Councils is a paltry £24.85p and Somerton exceeds that by close to 400%. Somerton again charges more than 8 times (8.21 times to be precise) the average total Precept across those same 121 Councils at £220,000 compared to an average of £26,773.43p
So, its official. Somerton has the greediest, most money grabbing Town Council in South Somerset, bar none. Doesn't that make you feel good about yourself?
Next time I'll start to look at what Somerton's Town Council spends our hard earned rates on.
Till next time.
Niall
PS In case you think that I'm making this up (and I wouldn't be surprised if you did) then the figures are in the public domain here www.southsomerset.gov.uk/media/pdf/a/a/PARISH_TAXING_TIMES_08-09.pdf with additional population figures here www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/statistics/contents/population/estimates/2002mye/