Noticestices

 

Preston Brook's Council Tax is making headlines - but the challenges facing our Village are not. 

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14 October 2026 | 3-minute read

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Preston Brook has been singled out in a national report about rising parish council tax. But the serious challenges facing our village, and the work needed to address them, have received far less attention.

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Major housing developments are transforming Preston Brook, including building on land previously protected as Green Belt. At the same time, residents face growing concerns about the loss of trees, pressure on local services, pollution risks and reductions in recreational facilities.

 

What is happening to our village?

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The Parish Council has been working to protect residents' interests on several fronts:

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• 🏡 Major developments: responding to large-scale housing proposals and the loss of former Green Belt land.

• 🌳 Trees and green spaces: challenging tree removals and seeking to protect established wildlife habitats.

• 🛝 Children's facilities: questioning proposed reductions to play areas and recreational facilities included in original development plans, despite hundreds of new homes being built.

• 💧 The Bridgewater Canal: commissioning independent testing after construction runoff entered the canal. Investigators identified concerning sediment levels and possible risks to aquatic wildlife, including the food sources of protected otters.

• 🚌 Our only bus service: working to restore this vital connection following disruption caused by development roadworks.

• 🌿 Community improvements: challenging drainage concerns and helping secure £133,000 in developer contributions.

 

Protecting these interests requires expert advice and the resources to challenge decisions where necessary. The cost of protecting our village appears in the Council's accounts. The cost of failing to protect it could be far greater. 

 

Between 2009/10 and 2021/22, Preston Brook residents paid 55% less in parish council tax than the national average. Today, Preston Brook's council tax is shared across the equivalent of just 368 Band D households, each paying approximately £5 per week.

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Preston Brook has received no government grants or developer contributions unlike neighbouring Sandymoor which has benefited from a development-related endowment worth more than £800,000., which generates around £35,000pa in  investment income, alongside approximately £14,000pa playing-field rental income. 

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This raises an important question - is Preston Brook receiving a fair share of the lasting benefits from the developments taking place in our village?

 

The Adam Smith Institute's report, Parish the Thought, was written by James Hodgkinson, a university student, Vice Chairman of Upper Hardres Parish Council (near Canterbury in Kent), and Research Associate at the Adam Smith Institute.

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Despite highlighting Preston Brook in its national publicity, neither the Institute nor the author contacted the Parish Council before publication to understand the reasons behind its tax increases. The Council subsequently contacted both seeking clarification. Neither has responded.

 

The Council supports proper scrutiny of public spending. However, it has questioned conclusions drawn without examining individual councils' circumstances, particularly where the report itself acknowledges limits to its research. A council cannot be judged simply by how much its tax has increased. We must also consider what it achieves, what it protects and what residents could lose if it cannot afford to act.

 

Read the evidence and have your say!

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We encourage residents to examine all three documents and form their own views:

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• Preston Brook Parish Council's full response – 14 October 2026

• Adam Smith Institute – Parish the Thought report

• Adam Smith Institute – Original press release

 

Preston Brook's future affects everyone who lives here.

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Please share your concerns with the Parish Council and consider raising relevant issues with your Halton Borough Councillors, MP, planning and environmental authorities, and developers. Tell us what changes you have witnessed, what concerns you and what improvements you want to see.

Your experiences help the Council understand local problems and raise them with those responsible.

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Budget & Precept 2026-2027

 

Preston Brook Parish Council is required each year to agree a balanced budget that is sufficient to discharge its statutory dues, maintain local services, and respond to emerging priorities identified by residents. For 2026–2027 the Council proposed a precept that reflects rising costs, heightened planning pressures and the need to invest in protecting the Parish’s character and quality of life as large‑scale development comes forward.

 

The proposed budget for 2026–2027 is £108,250.00, funded primarily through the parish precept and a projected VAT reclaim of 2,500.00. This represents a necessary step‑change from historic under‑funding and will enable the Council to sustain core services, progress key projects such as the Neighbourhood Plan and conservation work, and ensure Preston Brook’s voice is properly resourced in discussions with Halton Borough Council and developers.

 

National Parish Sector Context 2025–2026

 

Parish and town councils remain the first tier of local government and their share of council tax continues to grow as they take on more responsibilities.

 

• There are 10,236 parish and town councils in England, of which 8,896 issue a precept.

• The total parish and town council precept in England is approximately £856 million, an increase of £75 million year‑on‑year.

• Band D parish precepts range widely, with some Councils seeing charges in excess of £400 per annum; the largest Band D precept is £557.10.

 

These figures underline that parish councils nationwide have to increase income in order to maintain standards or invest in their communities. Preston Brook has historically adopted a very restrained approach to precept setting, which has limited its capacity at precisely the time when demands on the Council are intensifying.

 

Local Context and Challenges

Halton Borough Council’s Local Plan to 2037 allocates significant new development within Preston Brook and safeguards further land for housing beyond 2037.

 

Current allocations and safeguarded sites together would see the number of homes in the Parish increase from approximately 392 to around 2,814 over the coming decades - an almost seven‑fold expansion.

 

- 0.88 hectares of brownfield land within Preston Brook are allocated for 24 dwellings, with a further 1.65 hectares of green space for 20 properties off Coronation Road.

- Around 10.8 hectares either side of Chester Road are allocated for 264 homes by 2037.

- An additional 69 hectares of former Green Belt land around the Parish is safeguarded to deliver approximately 2,114 dwellings beyond 2037, on top of the 308 allocations to 2037.

 

This scale of change has profound implications for traffic, infrastructure capacity, environmental quality, local identity and the day‑to‑day experience of residents. The Parish Council is already engaged in responding to planning applications, working to influence design and layout, and preparing tools such as a Neighbourhood Plan, Environmental Plan, Green Belt Re-Introduction Strategy and potential Conservation Area proposals so that growth is more aligned with local aspirations.

 

At the Parish meeting held on 26 November 2024 residents articulated clear concerns about the cumulative impact of development on:

 

• Views from homes and the rural setting of the Parish.

• Access, highways safety and traffic flows on local roads.

• Pressures on schools, healthcare, and other already limited local services.

• Loss of green spaces, local wildlife habitats and biodiversity.

• Flood risk due to reductions in natural drainage areas.

 

Residents also expressed a strong desire for the Parish Council to take an active role in shaping future proposals, to defend local inconvenience and to secure tangible community benefits from development. This requires a level of professional support, technical evidence and on-going engagement that cannot be delivered without a realistic revenue base.

 

For many years Preston Brook maintained a very low precept, at times freezing it altogether. Between 2000 and 2007, for example, the Band D charge remained static at £9.58 per annum, meaning the precept did not even keep pace with inflation and effectively amounted to a real‑terms reduction.

 

Analysis undertaken by the Council demonstrates that if the precept had been increased by just 5.00 per Band D property each year since 2000, the Council would now be benefitng from a significantly higher precept, strengthening its capacity to commission planning advice, advance a Neighbourhood Plan, and invest in environmental and heritage projects. Instead, the Parish has had to “catch up” rapidly in recent years in order to reach a more sustainable funding position.

 

In 2025-2026 the Council raised a precept of £73,538.48. This produced an average Band D charge of

£197.15 per annum, equivalent to approximately £3.79 per week. The Council has worked hard to contain costs and to find saving where possible, for example by comparing contracts and seeking external grants for specific projects. However, cost pressures continue to increase, including:

 

• Inflationary increases in supplies and grounds maintenance.

• Costs for unanticipated projects such as tree works necessary for health and safety.

• Nationally driven rises in employer National Insurance contributions and public sector pay.

• Escalating professional fees for planning, legal and environmental advice.

 

In this context, freezing or significantly reducing the precept would risk undermining the Council’s ability to meet its existing commitments, let alone respond effectively to new challenges and priorities.

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Parish Council Objects to Spar Totem Proposal

The Parish Council has formally submitted its full objection to Halton Borough Council regarding the proposed Spar Totem.

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After careful consideration of the application, councillors agreed that the proposal would have a negative impact on the character and setting of the area. Concerns were also raised about visual intrusion, scale, and the precedent such a structure might set for future planning applications.

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The objection highlights key planning issues that the Parish Council believes must be fully addressed before any decision is taken.

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📑 Read the full objection HERE.

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The Parish Council remains committed to protecting the local environment, heritage, and character of our community.

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Application from Morris Homes to build 136 houses on Chester Road

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At Preston Brook Parish Council, we’re working hard to ensure our village retains its charm and character, even as new developments are proposed. A recent application from Morris Homes to build 136 houses on Chester Road has raised several concerns, and we’re making our position clear: this development, as it stands, is not good enough for Preston Brook. You can read the full objection here. 

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Here is why we have objected on our residents' behalf:

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Protecting Our Heritage

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Preston Brook is rich in history, from the unique Tarporley Siltstone to the iconic Preston Brook Tunnel on the Bridgewater Canal. These aren’t just features - they’re part of what makes our community special. The developer’s plans fail to properly consider these assets, with proposals that could damage their surroundings.

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For example, wire mesh gabion walls are suggested in the design which are out of place and unsuitable for the area. We’ve called for natural stone alternatives to preserve the heritage feel. Likewise, the Preston Brook Tunnel and other historic landmarks have been overlooked in the developer’s heritage assessments and this simply isn’t acceptable.

 

Roadside and Canal Space must be Preserved

 

We’re also standing firm on protecting key community spaces like the grassy verges by Chester Road and the Canal. These spots attract visitors and provide a peaceful area for residents. The proposed cycle path could see these spaces lost or reduced - something we’re opposing.

We’ve suggested practical alternatives, such as turning the cycle path into a shared space or ensuring it stops short of the most valued areas. Adding benches, bins, and heritage-style streetlights would enhance, not harm, these spaces.

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Fair Contributions for our Community

 

Developers are required to contribute to local improvements, but the proposed funds are earmarked for projects far from Preston Brook, such as Wigg Island. This does nothing for our village, and could take some residents up to an hour to get to if travelling by public transport. We’ve argued that these funds should stay local, improving community facilities, supporting sustainability, and enhancing the Canal.

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For example, we’ve proposed funding for things like:

• Interpretation boards along the Canal to share its history.

• Better seating, bike racks, and lighting to make the area more welcoming.

• Collaborating with the Canal & River Trust, and Heatherfield Heritage, on educational projects like a “canal classroom”. 

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Looking Ahead

 

The Parish Council is not opposed to development, and recognises the area has been earmarked for considerable housing development in the coming years, but it must be done right. The character of Preston Brook needs to be respected, and any new projects should benefit the people who live here. We’ll continue to fight for changes to these plans and to make sure any decisions protect what makes our village unique.

Your support matters. Let’s keep Preston Brook the place we know and love.

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Proposed site layout:​

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Budget + Precept 2024-2025

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The Council is required to set an annual budget to deliver services,

and its income is financed through a combination of the parish precept,

and grants.

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Over the past few years the Council has made efforts to establish a

realistic budget. The Council is now better equipped to respond to

issues as they arise and unforeseen circumstances (such as

detrimental planning applications) without this impacting the delivery

of other services. These increments over recent years would have been

less significant if there had been more reasonable annual increments

applied historically. However, between 2000-2020 the precept increased

by an average annual sum of only £1.16 per annum. While this produced

an overall saving for taxpayers for close to two decades, it effectively

resulted in real-term budget cuts throughout most of the Council’s recent

existence as the precept fell far short of inflation. If the Parish Council

has increased its precept by just £5 per annum per year since 2000,

then the Parish would have been in a much healthier fiscal position and would have enough precept and reserves to accommodate all overheads. 

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Across a similar period the second-tier authority, Halton Borough Council, has experienced funding reductions of £57 million since 2010.

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In reaction to these circumstances, the Parish Council has tried to play a more proactive role and reduce the potential risk of watching a decline of services in the Parish by undertaking additional public realm improvements in the village, whilst trying to protect and safeguard the community against overdevelopment which would involve significant alteration of our landscape and risk a loss of Preston Brook as residents know it today.

 

This year’s precept brings us almost to the level necessary to deliver all of our services, make additional investment in the Parish and the community, and continue making a meaningful difference to the people of Preston Brook. 

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It is important to note that the Council’s costs have increased significantly in recent years, and it is becoming more difficult to maintain lower precept requests, without compromising on service delivery. 

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The new precept delivers a Band D rate of £141.74, which is a year-on-year increase of £1.16 per week. 

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To view the full budget and precept report, please click here.

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