2026/27 Gretton Parish Council Precept Increase

Gretton Parish Council Precept Update 2026/27

At this time of year residents will shortly be receiving their updated Council Tax bills, one component of this bill is the Parish Precept which is levied by the Parish Council to fund our administration and activities within the village. For financial year 2026/27 we have found it necessary to increase the precept by 4.29%. For a Band D property this is expected to represent a yearly increase of £3.02 or a 6p increase per week.

This decision was not taken lightly. As a council, we recognise that any increase adds to the financial burden placed upon households, we remain committed to keeping costs as low as possible while ensuring we can continue to deliver the services and improvements that matter to our community.

Why the precept is increasing

The increase is necessary to cover rising operating costs and to ensure the Parish Council can continue to:

• Maintain village assets such as green spaces, footpaths and public areas
• Support community projects and local groups
• Meet legal and regulatory responsibilities
• Ensure sufficient reserves contingency for essential maintenance and unforeseen repairs

Although costs have risen in several areas, we have worked to keep the increase modest while still allowing the council to operate effectively. The council has also reviewed our budget for areas where saving could be made, the council identified our management of Highway Verges Maintenance contract as no longer being a cost-effective activity for the council to oversee therefore we have handed this responsibility back to North Northamptonshire Council, as a result residents will notice a reduction in the number of occasions verges are cut as it is North Northamptonshire Council’s policy to only cut three times per year.

What this means for households

For most households, the precept change represents a small annual increase on the parish element of your Council Tax bill. The exact amount will depend on your property band and will be shown on your Council Tax statement from the billing authority.

Looking ahead to next year

We have been informed by North Northamptonshire Council that as of the 2027/28 financial year they will no longer accept responsibility for the maintenance of the Children’s Play Area at the Recreation Ground. The play area is sited on land owned by the Parish Council but the installation and maintenance of equipment has historically been the responsibility of the local authority. NNC have advised the Parish that going forward they cannot maintain this following an update to the advice they have received regarding legal liability.

As a council we are extremely disappointed that NNC are pushing the responsibility for ongoing maintenance of the play area onto the Parish Council, the play area is a well used facility which attracts visitors from beyond the parish however the financial burden will now fall on Gretton residents alone.

It is too early to determine the impact this will have on next year’s precept however the Parish Council wishes to give residents forewarning that this may represent a significant element of a future increase.

Our commitment to transparency

We are always happy to discuss the parish budget or any aspect of council spending. Full budget details are available on our website (grettonparishcouncil.gov.uk/budget-2026-27), and residents are welcome to attend Parish Council meetings to ask questions or raise matters of concern. Our meetings take place on the 2^nd Monday of each month at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support as we work to maintain and improve our village.