Cheshire East is jeopardising the financial stability of some town and parish councils by delaying telling them how much they will have to pay for local election costs, a councillor has said.

The decision to get the lower tier councils to stump up the costs for their local elections for the first time, was included in Cheshire East's budget in February this year.

The aim is to save money and bring Cheshire East in line with other local authorities.

But Conservative group leader Janet Clowes says Cheshire East's delay in implementing the decision has left town and parish councils in limbo, just as they are expected to start setting their own budgets and precepts.

"Many smaller, mainly rural, councils raise minimal precepts from the small number of households in their parishes and are deeply concerned that even with two financial cycles before the next all-out election in 2027… these new charges will require significant year-on-year increases in precept charges to residents," said Cllr Clowes.

"The wide range of community benefit projects and services which local councils currently provide, may need to be delayed or abandoned, to meet the new election costs."

She added: "It must also be remembered that many larger parishes and towns have already committed to subsidise other Cheshire East Council services, for example libraries and car parks, following consultation with residents and have adjusted their precepts accordingly."

She said the imposition of election fees at this late stage will require these councils to urgently review their financial planning.

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Cllr Clowes said while the statutory right of councils to charge for elections is not disputed, 'the late implementation of this budget saving proposal by Cheshire East is jeopardising the financial stability of the borough's smaller local councils'.

Cheshire East councillors were told at the recent corporate policy committee meeting that the electoral costs for each council were still being calculated.

Acting governance, compliance and monitoring officer Janet Witkowski said at that meeting: "Officers are still working on the calculations, but the intention is any proposals would be based on a phased payment not a full amount upfront and we are currently looking at payments that would run beyond the next elections as well."

She said getting the figures out to councils was a priority.

Cllr Clowes told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "It is far too late when considering the essential role that town and parish councils play in promoting coherent, supportive communities, and delivering services at grassroots level. They deserve far better from Cheshire East Council."

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