RESIDENTS raised their concerns over a council tax increase of 13.65 per cent, accusing Bramshott and Liphook Parish Council of “over budgeting, underspending and hitting the taxpayer with extra costs”.

It follows a 15 per cent increase two years ago and a 10 per cent increase last year. The parish precept now represents 65 per cent of East Hampshire District Council’s precept, which has been praised for being the only local authority in the country to cut council tax.

Robin Young, of Age Concern, raised the matter at a recent finance and policy meeting and the Liphook community website has been swamped by peole posting protests over rising council tax bills

According to parish council chairman Jane Ives, the increase is mainly to fund upfront costs of £35,000 for the Neighbourhood Development Plan, as well as general inflation, pension costs, outstanding maintenance, a tree survey and repairs to the Millennium Centre.

Questions have been raised why the NDP could not be funded from the large reserves held by the parish council, in addition to its earmarked reserves, which appear to be in excess of offical guidelines, after finance and policy chairman Michael Croucher stated at a recent council meeting that reserves only need to be “between 20 and 50 per cent”.

Last March, the council’s general reserves showed as £102,508, with £36,255 added at the end of the year, whereas earmarked reserves amounted to £163,616, with £38,500 added.

In 2010, the precept was £195,975 compared to £274,016 last year and £334,765 this year, which represents an increase of 70 per cent over seven years.

The parish budget in 2010 was £323,545 and increased to £435,446 this year – representing an increase of 34 per cent over seven years.

Mrs Ives pointed out the plan was a future investment for Bramshott and Liphook and would bring substantial amounts of money back into the parish, quoting the Lowsley Farm phase two development for an additional 175 houses, which comes under the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).

Without a Neighbourhood Plan the parish will only received 15 per cent CIL, whereas with a plan in place it increases to 25 per cent, which is paid by developers.

But at the annual parish meeting, Mr Croucher admitted none of the money received from CIL will benefit the taxpayer and council tax would not be reduced when CIL contributions are eventually received by the parish council.

The Neighbourhood Development Plan for Bramshott and Liphook was halted last month, after it was revealed the people who volunteered to set it up had wasted more than a year of their time because of a series of blunders by the council which described the process as “flawed from the outset”.

Since then a new NDP chairman Emma Winfield, who is also a parish councillor, has been appointed, replacing Susan Garnett.

Members of the new steering group, who now have to declare any – and all of their interests – have not yet been named.

Planning committee chairman Don Jerrard, who is also a member of the newly appointed NDP liaison working party, outlined some of the criteria required to be selected to become a steering committee member.

He claimed the problem determining the public interest and trying to look at the conflict of interest new people and others, who have applied before, may have had.

He also claimed at least three of the previous NDP steering committee members had a “severe conflict of interest”, by either living too close to a possible development site – or having an employment linkage with a developer, which, according to Mr Jerrard, would exclude them all together.

New declarations of interest have been drawn up, which are more in-depth, to be completed by everyone before being considered suitable to join the steering group. He confirmed consultations to put together a new NDP steering committee were under way, after the working party, which includes Jeanette Kirby and Barbara Easton, also planning committee members, as well as Mr Jerrard and the new NDP chairman, had conducted several meetings.

The replacement of the previous NDP administrator, who has stepped down, will be dealt with at the next finance and policy meeting due to be held on Monday, May 10. Mr Jerrard will be making regular updates on the neighbourhood development plan at each of the parish’s upcoming planning meetings, which will also be posted on the NDP website.

In September, the NDP steering committee was given its own promises after it was revealed the parish council has bought back the office of Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner, at the back of the Millennium Centre, for £12,700.

Mr Croucher stated at the time that since the parish was covered by two planning authorities, East Hampshire District Council will be playing the leading role for its Neighbourhood Development Plan.

He said: “The NDP will require some serious funding. The parish council will provide starter funds of £15,000, which represents two years of savings, and will only be able to set aside between £7,000 and £9,000 per annum in future.”

He claimed the NDP would cost around £50,000, and professional help would be required, with average charges by consultants expected at around £800 per day, as well as expenses.

Mr Croucher warned the NDP could not be dictated to by the parish council, and that it has to be dominated by parishioners.

It is also a community-led project creating a neighbourhood plan for the people who live in the parish.

EHDC will manage the public process and consult with the other statuatory planning body – the South Downs National Park Authority – which has declared that a lack of manpower and financial resources meant it could only “give advice online”.