OXENHOPE Parish Council says its drive to find new ways of delivering public services in the face of Bradford Council cuts mean it is having to increase its precept.

The precept on Oxenhope homes in the benchmark Band D category will go up by 16 per cent for 2018/19, but the parish council's chairman stressed this only amounts to less than eight pence per week extra for these properties.

Parish council members have approved a Band D increase in the precept from £23.26 to £27 in 2018/19, to fund a range of initiatives. This will allow them to raise a forecast total of £27,405.

And in setting its budget, the parish council has earmarked £5,711 worth of reserves to supplement the precept.

Chairman Councillor Ken Eastwood said: “The parish council appreciates any increase is unwelcome but I hope village residents will look at the work being done here and the improvements being made and consider a precept increase of less than eight pence a week at Band D represents excellent value for money.

“Over the last year residents have encouraged us to take over responsibility for Oxenhope's Rose Garden and have been enthusiastic about Oxenhope Youth Club and other projects we're delivering, including neighbourhood planning and community defibrillators.

"To complete these projects requires a modest increase in the local precept.”

Citing a BBC survey into local council tax bills, he noted that in 2016/17 the UK average precept was £57.40 at Band D, and that 399 local councils increased their precept by more than 35 per cent.

The precept is local taxation collected at the same time as the council tax and distributed to parish councils by Bradford Council.

An Oxenhope Parish Council spokesman said: "We've recognised that Bradford Council is facing a significant financial challenge and as a result services are being reduced or withdrawn.

"Oxenhope Parish Council, in common with other local councils, is looking at new ways of delivering services including through asset transfer from Bradford Council.

"In setting a budget for 2018/19 parish councillors chose to increase funding for the popular Youth Club.

"Without support from the parish council this club would not be viable.

"In the coming year Oxenhope Parish Council will increase what it pays for Bradford Council youth workers to maintain existing arrangements and also to pay for nine additional club sessions in May and June.

"We're completing an asset transfer of Oxenhope Rose Garden from Bradford Council.

"This amenity has suffered from a lack of maintenance for many years and residents have been supportive of a transfer and of investment in improvements to this site.

"The asset transfer is due to complete shortly and the parish council will become responsible for routine maintenance in due course. We've allocated £1,300 for maintenance in 2018/19.

"An additional budget of £750 has also been allocated to the Christmas lights in the Rose Garden, which in recent years have required repair and ongoing maintenance.

"Finally, we've allocated new funding towards allotment improvements. A budget of £1,000 has been allocated to cover the cost of path repairs and other repairs and improvements."