THERE is a problem with the merger of the two councils in that Taunton is an unparished area, and no assets are being set aside to enable that to change in future.

Since the old Taunton Borough 43 years ago passed all our assets to the current district council the parish level things like our remaining community buildings and green spaces have been maintained from the income generated from town assets, (for example over two million income from Taunton’s car parks).

There are no constitution clauses to show this or annual accounts that detail spending at parish level.

Taunton’s “special expenses” local precept, now of just £3 per band D house, is used to fund grants to community bodies. This would have to rise to perhaps £70 to cover one million of expenditure for a town council, similar to the cost of town councils in Frome or Yeovil.

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Currently in Swindon the Borough Council is imposing new urban parishes with an increase just like this.

Taunton needs to retain its current income from old property assets, so any future parish process can create a more balanced system of funding to manage our town, with a more affordable rise in local tax.

Both councils are transferring assets like public toilets to parish level to maintain.

How can this happen here, if just Taunton has no local funded administration in terms of a new town or series of parish councils?

It’s not efficient nor does it meet the localism act.

It won’t be easier to sort this out with a new district council that will be much more rural, with fewer councillors from Taunton.

ROGER HOUSE
Taunton