Parish Council precepts and student exemption

This is my latest contribution to the Press letters page:

IT WAS disappointing to read that residents are still facing a rise in their precept payment even though parish councils have frozen the precept (The Press, April 20).

Heslington Parish Council froze the precept this year, but we didn’t have the information to hand at the time to know how many properties were exempt from council tax and whether it has risen from the previous year.

It seems grossly unfair that residents face an increase in their precept due to an increase in student lets. It would be unreasonable to expect students to pay council tax and the precept.

Perhaps it is time for a change in the law to make the landlords responsible for council tax, and therefore precept payments, when they rent properties out to students, so there isn’t an increasing tax burden on those residences which are not inhabited by students.

Letter in support of Labour winning Heslington

Got this letter in today's Press

On May 5, the voters of York are faced with a decision which will have major consequences for the next four years.

They can vote for the Lib Dems and four more years of Tory budgets, as they continue to rely on the local Tories and push through the national agenda from the Tory-led Government.

Or they can vote for change and vote Labour, who have an alternative vision for York, based on protecting local services and reducing waste. As a Heslington resident and parish councillor, I am supporting David Levene.
Since being nominated as the Labour candidate, he has made a point of canvassing the whole of the village and has listened to residents’ concerns.

He launched a petition to call for double-yellow lines on University Road – which the council has now thankfully adopted – and continues to work on traffic and parking issues in the village and Low Mill Close.

Despite what some might say, Labour can win in Heslington, having essentially tied for second last time.
Please support David in the upcoming local elections, a candidate I strongly believe will stand up for the residents of Heslington and listen to their concerns.