Levy put under a spotlight (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Levy put under a spotlight

10:00am Thursday 28th February 2013 in Andover

A SPECIAL £319,000 levy which has been paid by Andover council tax payers annually for years to cover some of the additional services provided in the town was under the spotlight at Andover Town Council.

Some councillors and residents suggested that the levy amounts to double taxation and is unfair to Andover residents, as many of the services provided are used by residents of other communities.

Councillor Barbara Long wondered why Andover residents had to pay towards the Charlton cemetery through the special levy when Romsey residents don’t pay an extra levy for the Romsey cemetery.

She said: “We don’t gain from it as anybody from anywhere in the Test Valley can be buried there.”

Council chairman David Drew said it was ‘a point well made’, but he urged people to look at the figures.

He said: “When I look at Romsey, the town council precept there is more than Andover’s town council precept added to the expenses.”

Former Lib Dem leader on Test Valley Borough Council Robin Hughes asked whether the time has come to get rid of the levy.

Cllr Drew replied: “The town council has agreed that it wants to negotiate the levy away, but we should be clear that we don’t want to pay more on services provided by Test Valley, as we need to ensure that the residents of Andover get the best value.

“Some services may actually cost us more to run than Test Valley.”