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The council tax precept in Woodley has been frozen again, but the Tories say the ruling Lib Dems could have reduced it through better money management
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Woodley council tax precept frozen despite 'hoarding' criticism

By Jon Nurse
February 22, 2013

A cap on the town council precept has been agreed for a fourth consecutive year, despite criticism it could be lowered were it not for ‘hoarding’.

Woodley Town Council’s ruling Liberal Democrats voted to freeze its precept at a full council meeting last Tuesday.

The outcome was hailed an ‘incredible result’ by deputy leader Councillor Phil Challis, but his enthusiasm was not shared by the town’s Conservatives who claim their alternative budget would produce a 15 per cent cut in council tax.

Cllr Challis said: “Other Conservative-led town and parish councils in Wokingham borough have increased household precepts by up to 2.7 per cent and so Lib Dems are proud that the prudent financial management at Woodley Town Council has once more meant no increase in our precept for our residents.”

Twelve councillors voted to approve the precept but eight abstained.

Tory Cllr Keith Baker said: “I’m very disappointed that you didn’t take the opportunity to reduce the precept.

“The reserves are growing at an alarming rate of £40,000 to £50,000 over the last three years. That’s equivalent to £3 or £4 off council tax.

“I can’t see any reason why we are hoarding such high reserves rather than putting it back into our residents’ pockets.”

The council’s reserves, which came to £242,000 at the end of 2012, are projected to rise to £317,000 by March 2014.

Cllr Challis disregarded the accusation of hoarding, pointing instead to ways the reserves could be used in the near future.

“I think we should be looking for something sensible to do with our reserves and we have a number of projects people are aware of,” he added.

An alternative budget proposed by Woodley Conservatives claims to cut council tax by 15 per cent (£17 per household) by reducing staffing levels, reducing the expenses allocation, cutting losses at leisure centres and returning £100,000 of ‘excessive’ reserves back to residents.

A Woodley Conservatives statement reads: “This alternative budget reflects the real world that every single household in Woodley has to live in.

“With the extreme economic pressures that residents have been, and continue to be, experiencing, no council can simply ignore this.

“Unless you are this Liberal Democrat council who simply treat their residents as a never ending source of money.”

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Local lady Says "Why doesn't Woodley Town Council welcome the Borough's offer to take back the pool and provide decent 21st century leisure facilities in Woodley? at no cost to the tax payer!!"

Simple answer - they have never offered!

In 1995 Wokingham refused to take over the pool when Berkshire County Council wanted to dispose of the pool and Woodley Town Council stepped in to maintain the service.

I am told that when Wokingham built carnival pool in Wokingham town they charged everyone a £25 premium on their council tax (Woodley, Earley, Twyford...everyone)

When Wokingham gave the contract to Leisure Connection they paid Leisure Connections millions of pounds to cover capital costs out of council tax paid for by everyone.

Leisure connections declined to take on Bulmershe at this time.

Lib Dems just want a pool in Woodley at reasonable prices to encourage use and to date we have been the only council prepared to take it on.

Phil Challis, woodley
22/02/2013 at 15:33

I didn't say that WBC run the pools but they control them and choose how they are run.

I actually heard that the Borough gains money from leasing to the private management firm - certainly doesn't cost the borough taxpayers at all.

Surely the important thing is having a good quality pool for our families not what kind of system is involved. I don't remember seeing any Lower Earley posters on here complaining that knowing the centre was privately run spoiled their swim.

Local Lady
22/02/2013 at 15:18

The Borough council doesn't run the pools - it pays a private management company to run a number of them. I'm sure there was a related article on here recently that pointed out what a stupid contract that was - I think we subsidise them with public money to make a private profit, but I don't recall - so it sounds to me like the 'nationalised' system that the Lib Dem, Woodley town council has had to adopt is superior to the 'privatised' system that our local blues are running. 'More money to private firms, and you take responsibility away from us? We're in!'

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
22/02/2013 at 14:59

so the Borough Council owns the pool but it's run by the Town Council - why doesn't the Town Council run it to the standard provided at Carnival or at Loddon Vallley? it costs local people £10k a year for a 20th century pool. The other pools in the borough are not a burden to the local people but a blessing. People in Woodley don't mind who runs it they just want good clean facilities, open regularly with hot showers etc

Why doesn't Woodley Town Council welcome the Borough's offer to take back the pool and provide decent 21st century leisure facilities in Woodley? at no cost to the tax payer!!

Thank god the lease runs out in a couple of years and WTC will have no choice.

And good point about WTC having the money to build a public loo - why don't they put their money where their mouth is ??

Local Lady
22/02/2013 at 14:43

This is the same Cllr Baker whose party voted to increase Wokingham Borough Council Council tax by 1.9% next year without using their millions of reserves to reduce the council tax.

It appears Cllr Baker can swing both ways on many subjects.

Phil Challis, woodley
22/02/2013 at 13:53

To answer FFATV - the vote went along party lines and one of the primary reasons for the Woodley precept being higher than Earley or Wokingham is “double taxation”.

Woodley residents have paid through their council tax towards the facilities Wokingham Borough Council provides in other towns in the borough (eg Carnival Pool). However Woodley town council does not get any direct support for providing Leisure centres or pool in Woodley from the borough, who have steadfastly refused to take on Bulmershe Leisure Centre over the years.

Woodley Lib Dems make no apologies for being absolutely committed to ensuring that there are facilities in Woodley that support our community and so Woodley residents have ended up paying twice.

Woodley town council took over Bulmershe Pool in 1995 when Berkshire County Council and Wokingham District Council wanted to close it – since then many children have learnt to swim there, without the need to travel out of the town.

I believe that the Tories in Wokingham are cynics (look up the definition) – they seem to know the cost of everything but the value of nothing.

Woodley Lib Dems do recognise the social value of providing activities for residents of all ages, right here in Woodley. It is a much more sustainable approach to maintaining our community spirit than those offered by facilities in Wokingham or Earley.

Phil Challis, woodley
22/02/2013 at 13:44

Far Far Away - 12 votes for, NONE against; 8 abstentions. Abstaining usually means a politician avoiding making a public decision in a cowardly, trying-to-please-everyone sort of way, as many of our local MPs did in the recent gay marriage vote.

How high is the precept, relative to neighbouring town councils? I'm hearing complaints that it's high, but seeing no facts to back it up.

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
22/02/2013 at 13:14

What I do note from the article is that this got through with a majority of only 4 - It would seem that many of our local councillors are not in agreement.

Incredible result, absolutely not - But it is a reasonable and expected result in the circumstances, a cut would be "incredible".

All local authorities big and small are under pressure to cut spending and keep rises to a minimum, Woodley Town are only following on - but it still doesn't answer the question - Why is the local Precept so high in the first place ? compared to other localities ?

Far Far Away, Thames Valley
22/02/2013 at 12:21

Disgusting that money is being saved up and put aside for the future rather than blowing everything right now and relying on credit.

Oh wait.

Beef Cake Argh!
22/02/2013 at 11:38

A reserve of £242k is nothing for a town council, is it. And it's not like those reserves are being creamed off and given to shareholders; it's still Woodley money, it's not going anywhere. But Cllr baker is trying to make some political gain out of it, saying that instead of running the town council well, maintaining their costs and service levels, they should sack people and reduce council tax - temporarily. What a shockingly transparent attempt to bribe people into voting blue! You understand that if they did lower council tax, it would only have to rise again shortly afterwards, right? A budget surplus of £40k can quickly disappear, especially with inflation going the way it is (and the Bank of England considering dropping inflation targets).

Disgusting political opportunism by a party that simply wants to destroy as many public services as they can, as quickly as they can, so that they can privatise. Like they have with the police, the NHS, the probation service, most council services, etc. etc.

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
22/02/2013 at 11:24

You and me both - I cannot understand why the Woodley Precept is so high in comparison to similar areas, (I know it hasn't got any higher but it's still pretty steep). Is it because of the costs of running the Oakwood Center I wonder, or maybe because of the condition of Bulmershe Leisure Center or because of other reasons.

I recently heard Woodly Lib Dems on the radio discussing the Woodley Toilets, since according to the article above they have a large cash pile why not use it for the benefit of the residents and get on and fix the issue rather than blaming everybody else ?.

Far Far Away, Thames Valley
22/02/2013 at 11:14

Privatise? has privatisation ever improved anything; ever?

Not the answer, for me. nationalise, but make people responsible. And changing cabinet posts, moving between councils, or 'you can vote me out in four years' does not equal "responsible".