PARISH councils are banding together to tackle a system which sees rural dwellers paying twice for many of the council services they receive.

Many have to tax their electorate for services provided to urban residents as part of the city council's element of the council tax bill.

Rural people pay this parish precept on top of the city's council tax, meaning they pay twice.

Now these areas within the Chester City Council area are receiving a rebate to address this issue but there is a question-mark over whether it is enough.

Malpas Parish Council, which was given a £930 refund, has been contacted by the Cheshire Association of Local Councils (ChALC) asking them to pass on how this money will be spent.

The association is gathering information from all its members in a bid to ensure the rebate becomes a permanent feature and increases in value. The meeting was told it was estimated each tax pays an extra £3 per year in parish council areas yet the rebate amounted to just 50p per person.

Chairman Cllr Ann Wright said: 'We need to make sure we get the money back on precept and the association has asked us to tell them what we are doing with the money.'

A letter from ChALC said a meeting would be taking place with Chester City Council representatives with a view to arguing the rebate should be made permanent and increased.

It read: 'This is certainly not a foregone conclusion because some city councillors are strongly opposed to the principle of refunding any of the double taxation. We need to present our case as forcibly as we can.'

david.holmes@cheshirenews.co.uk

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