A FRESH development over Ilkley's precept money has caused further conflict between City Hall politicians and the parish council.

Former Council Leader Ian Greenwood has suggested Bradford should consider stopping payments to fund Ilkley Parish Council's administration costs because the town now raises its own cash fund via a precept.

This would result in Ilkley having to fund £25,800 a year from its own budget, consequently leaving a further reduction in the amount of cash it has to spend on community projects.

Last week the Gazette revealed that Ilkley's precept cash was around £15,000 short this year because of a mistake by Bradford's electoral services department.

Officials had produced the wrong figures, leading to less money being collected by the precept. The parish council said it had worked out the precept at £3.50 per Ilkley voter, but had been given the wrong population figure.

This week, Councillor Greenwood (Lab, Little Horton) has questioned the continued financing of Ilkley's administration costs.

At a meeting at City Hall this week, he submitted a written question to Margaret Eaton (Bingley Rural) the Conservative Leader of the Council, which stated: "Given Ilkley Parish Council's decision to raise its own revenue via the imposition of a precept on the Council Tax, what alterations to the financing of town and parish councils does the Leader of the Council propose to make?"

Before the meeting, Coun Greenwood, who is the leader of the Labour opposition group in the council chamber, told the Gazette that the agreement to pay Ilkley's administration costs should be renegotiated.

He said that the decision, taken in the early 1970s, for City Hall to pay the costs was taken on the basis that the parish council would not set a precept.

Coun Greenwood said: "The agreement that was reached was that Bradford Council would pay the expenses of the parish councils in the area on the basis of them not levying a precept.

"If Ilkley are going to levy a precept, should the council continue to cover the administration costs? That was the basis of the original decision as I understand it. It clearly needs reviewing.

"I think it is a matter for the people of Ilkley - I would be interested to see what happens next time there are elections.

"In 1972 an agreement was reached. What they have done is fundamentally alter the nature of the agreement which has existed for the last 30 years.

"People of Ilkley are paying more, what is the justification of Bradford Council paying for the administration?"

Coun Greenwood said the agreement should be renegotiated although he has stopped short of personally calling for the money to be withdrawn. "If an organisation levies a rate, should it pay for its own administration? I am not saying it should," said Coun Greenwood.

But Ilkley Parish Council chairman, Michael Gibbons said that Coun Greenwood's suggestion merely compounded the mistake made by City Hall's election unit.

"I find Coun Greenwood's questioning at this time annoying, given last week's discovery regarding Bradford's mistake costing Ilkley Parish Council considerable further funding," Coun Gibbons said.

He said that Ilkley parish councillors had checked out the rules before deciding to raise a precept and were told by Bradford Council that it did not affect the grant for the administration charges.

Coun Gibbons said: "Our precept money is to cover items not already paid for by normal Bradford Council Tax.

"The grant to Ilkley is similar to the payment made to all the other parish councils in the Bradford area where payments are made for the employment of the clerk."

He said the administration fee was a drop in the ocean compared to the money raised each year by Bradford Council from Ilkley.

"Our particular administration grant is tiny compared with almost £10 million received by Bradford from the Ilkley parish in Council Tax," said Coun Gibbons.

He added: "A few years ago under Coun Greenwood's Labour administration, unaccountable area panels were set up with extremely large budgets to spend on all manner of interesting projects."

Coun Greenwood received the following written answer from Coun Eaton at this week's meeting: "The issue of precepting is a matter for individual town and parish councils.

"The council's current policy remains unchanged but will be kept under review in case circumstances change."