We are very sad to of received this as an email from Erewash Borough Council – this is a major source of income that we normally receive (we will loose £25,153.90 next year of funding) – we will be discussing this and the implications at the next PC meeting on 12th September. We are still going to take over running and maintaining the public toilets which is another cost that was EBC’s responsibility.
Here is the email that we received today:
Email sent on behalf of Councillor Gordon Thomas, Lead Member for Resources
Councillor for Nottingham Road ward in Long Eaton (Labour)
Dear Parish Council Chairperson (sent via the Parish Clerk)
I am writing to inform you that the Council Executive have decided to reduce the Concurrent Grants given to parish councils in the financial year 2024/25.
Erewash Borough Council is under serve financial pressure and our funding from central government continues to fall whilst at the same time inflation and other costs rise rapidly. Since 2012/13 Erewash has had £5m of our funding withdrawn by the Conservative government in Westminster. Therefore, we must do everything we can to reduce our costs, whilst also aiming to maximise income.
In the financial year 2024/25, the Concurrent Grant will be awarded at the same level across the borough. All parishes will receive £2,000. In 2025/26 Concurrent Grant funding will be withdrawn in its entirety.
Parish councils also have fewer restrictions placed on them by central government in respect of their precepts, unlike borough and county councils who currently have a number of restrictions imposed by the government. Furthermore, parishes can raise their parish precept to whatever level they wish, without a referendum.
This is a fair funding correction. For decades the parishes have received differing amounts of Concurrent Grant. This is unfair across the parishes but especially unfair to our two towns: Ilkeston and Long Eaton, as they are unparished areas and receive no extra funding at all.
Yours faithfully
Gordon Thomas
Lead Member for Resources