I RAISE my hat to members of the Save Our Barbican group who have had the courage to bow out of an appeal in the face of possible extortionate legal costs.
Had this group resided in Osbaldwick the problem may not have arisen. Osbaldwick Parish Council has always vehemently opposed the imposition on residents of a precept (a tax which residents pay over and above their York council tax).
However, last week it was decided at a "closed meeting" that this precept should be increased one hundred per cent (from £10,000 to £20,000).
The principal reason for this being to employ a solicitor and barrister to represent the parish council on the Derwenthorpe public inquiry. This amount is over and above the £10,000 already "set aside" for this purpose.
We now have the ludicrous situation of a double-double tax. Tax will be paid to City of York Council, which is defending the plan, and our precept will be utilised by Osbaldwick Parish Council to oppose the plan.
We can only trust that the inspector reaches a speedy decision or we could be facing yet another huge hike in our precept.
Frank W Wilson,
Osbaldwick Village, York.
Updated: 09:08 Thursday, January 26, 2006
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