Increase in spending for parishes

The department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) has informed the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) that the appropriate sum for the purpose of section 137(4)(a) of the Local Government Act 1972 (the 1972 Act) for parish and town councils in England for 2015-16 is £7.36 per elector.

This is the amount that results from increasing the amount of 2014-15 (£7.20) by the percentage increase in the retail index between September 2013 and September 2014 (of 2.26%), in accordance with Schedule 12B to the Act.

Cllr Ken Browse, chairman of NALC, responded: “NALC welcomes this Government move to increase the level of Section 137 expenditure. This is important considering that Section 137 enables parish and town councils to spend a limited amount of money for purposes for which they have no other specific statutory power. This will be a great benefit in delivering vital services for communities.”