Parish Precept Statement 2026/2027
At a meeting of Holme Valley Parish Council on 2 February 2026, Councillors agreed the parish precept for the 2026/27 financial year.
The annual household charge for an average Band D property has been set at £41.27. This represents a reduction of 25 pence per year compared to 2025/26, or equivalent to around 2 pence per month per household.
What is a parish council precept?
A parish council precept is the part of council tax that funds the work and services of the parish council. It appears on Council tax bills alongside other charges such as police, fire and social care.
Parish councils do not receive direct funding from central government. Instead, they rely on the precept, together with any income generated from facilities or services they own or manage. The amount charged varies between areas, depending on the size of the parish and the services provided locally.
What does the Holme Valley Parish Council precept pay for?
In the Holme Valley, the precept supports a range of local services and facilities that are not otherwise provided by the district council. This includes funding a dedicated Youth Worker for the Holme Valley, maintaining everyday infrastructure such as benches, stone bus shelters and adopted telephone boxes, and contributing to the operation of local bus services.
The precept also supports the ownership and operation of key community buildings, including the public toilets in central Holmfirth, the Civic in Holmfirth (managed in partnership with Holmfirth Civic Community Trust), and Honley Library (run in partnership with the Friends of Honley Library).
In addition, parish council funding contributes to road safety initiatives such as mobile speed devices, provides dog waste disposal bags, and supports local organisations through grants. These grants help fund community assets and building improvements, local sports clubs and community centres, as well as events, seasonal decorations and village Christmas trees.
How is the household charge worked out?
Each year, councillors work with the Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) to set a budget for the year ahead. This process takes account of existing and planned services, staffing costs, ownership and maintenance of assets, contractual commitments, and the need to maintain appropriate financial reserves.
Once the overall budget requirement is agreed, the total precept is calculated. The household charge is expressed using the Band D equivalent, which represents the council tax paid on an average property and provides a standard way of comparing precepts between different councils.
How does this compare with other areas?
Not all areas have a parish council, and therefore not all households pay a parish precept. For those that do, the average parish precept in England for 2025/26 was £92.22 per Band D property and £58.20 in Yorkshire (National Association of Local Councils 2025).