South Yorkshire town and parish councils 'fear bankruptcy' if Government does not step in, claims Sheffield City Region mayor

The mayor has called on ministers to help out town and parish councils who carry out vital grassroots services like maintaining community centres, bridleways, public bins, allotments, pass bye-laws and manage playing fields and parks.

South Yorkshire has 90 parish and town councils with 41 in Doncaster, 30 in Rotherham, 16 in Barnsley and three in Sheffield.

Thorne-Moorends Town Council mayor Coun Mark Houlbrook, welcomed the call of cash relief to councils across the county.

He said that grant income from Government has been reduced to zero and the council has been losing around £4,000 a month since March.

“Town and parish councils are the foundation of grassroots democracy and activity,” Coun Houlbrook said.

“Since Covid the council has received no financial support from the Government. The Central Government Revenue Support Grant has also been reduced to zero as part of austerity cuts.

“Maintenance and the use of parks, sportsgrounds, cemeteries and community buildings will suffer badly as they will become unsustainable.

“Thorne and Moorends Town Council have been losing £4,000 a month in revenue since March, due to voluntary groups and sports teams not being able to use our facilities.

“I wish to personally thank the Mayor Dan Jarvis for raising this important issue.”

Parish and town councils previously received financial support in the form of funding derived from the Central Government Revenue Support Grant paid from the Treasury to principal councils.

Since 2010, most parish and town Councils have seen the proportion of their income derived from the grant reduced to zero and having to rely on renting our community spaces to groups or fundraising efforts.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Government restrictions have meant that financial self-sustainability has been near impossible.

Mayor Jarvis said: “I’ve long believed that parish and town councils are the bedrock of our local democracy and are essential in providing services at the grassroots level – especially in more rural and isolated, and therefore potentially deprived, communities.

“Many parish and town councils fear bankruptcy unless support is provided. The loss of parish and town councils because of insolvency would have an enormously damaging impact at a local level to our people and communities. I am working to ensure that this doesn’t happen.

“I have raised the issue of parish and town council funding in Parliament and with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick. I believe that it is vital that the Government establish a funding stream for parish and town councils that is separate from precept income.”