Dartmoor parishes fear council tax rises over plans to transfer public assets
Rural parishes on Dartmoor fear taking on responsibility for public spaces and facilities could leave them with little choice but to increase council tax precepts
A Devon council is being urged to think again about handing over parks, toilets, car parks and green spaces to local communities.
Fears have been raised that the policy could mean people living in rural villages having to pay more in council tax.
Teignbridge Council says the disposal of assets is a long-term programme forming part of its preparations for local government reorganisation (LGR), under which the district council will be abolished and replaced by a larger unitary council covering a much wider area.
It believes handing the assets over to town and parish councils will help safeguard them for the future.
But Cllr Stuart Rogers (Con, Ashburton and Buckfastleigh) has tabled a motion calling on Teignbridge to review the process.
LGR itself has been thrown into confusion by the Government's decision to pause the process following legal advice, and the announcement last week that it would withdraw its published proposals for Devon for the time being.
Cllr Rogers says that, as no timescale has been announced for the review, the transfer of assets should also be paused.
While some towns and parishes are in a financial position to take them on, parishes in rural areas such as Ashburton and Buckfastleigh lie within Dartmoor National Park, where development is tightly restricted.
Their only significant source of income is the council tax precept, according to Cllr Rogers.
He says taking on the cost of maintaining transferred assets would force them to increase their precepts.
“This would add to the significant pressure that inflation is already placing on households across the district,” said Cllr Rogers. “It could also cause a disturbing imbalance in council tax levels.
“Asking small, precept-dependent Dartmoor communities to take on long-term liabilities is premature while the future structure of local government in Devon remains uncertain.”
Last month, Teignbridge Council said the asset transfers would save the district council money while protecting valued spaces from development.
Locations in Buckfastleigh, Christow, Dawlish, Ipplepen, Newton Abbot, Tedburn St Mary, Trusham, Bovey Tracey, Chudleigh and Heathfield have been included on a list featuring open spaces, public toilets, car parks, recreation areas and buildings such as Chudleigh's youth centre.
Ashburton has so far declined the offer of specific car parks, play parks and allotments after looking into the financial commitments involved. A number of the sites are already leased to town and parish councils.
Cllr Charles Nuttall (Lib Dem, Kenn Valley) said: “We have been working closely with town and parish councils to identify sites that could be managed locally for the benefit of their communities.
“We understand that the term ‘disposal’ may cause concern for some residents, and I want to reassure people that these proposals are not about selling land to developers.
“The sites would remain in public ownership and there are no plans to build on them.
“Our aim is to protect these valued green spaces and community facilities for future generations.
“Local councils are often best placed to manage these spaces, helping to ensure they continue to meet local needs and remain accessible for residents to enjoy.”