Parish councils across Kirklees have had thousands of pounds of support stripped away.

But it was revealed the policy has come more than 27 years later than planned.

Kirklees Council’s cabinet agreed to implement a new ‘recharging’ policing that effectively scraps parish councils free rent and utility bills.

The move should save Kirklees’ tax payers £100,000.

It has emerged the policy was originally agreed in February 1988 but for some reason was not implemented on April 1, 1989 as planned.

There are five parish or town councils in Kirklees – Meltham, Holme Valley, Denby Dale, Kirkburton and Mirfield.

Mirfield Town Council offices.

All except Kirkburton currently occupy Kirklees Council owned buildings.

Kirkburton leases private offices but its £4,077 lease is paid by Kirklees.

The cabinet agreed to charge the parish councils full commercial rates but agreements with each council will have to be reached.

Residents living in Kirklees’ five parish council areas may be hit with higher precepts to make up for the loss of income.

Council officials say Holme Valley Parish Council could be charged £27,840 a year.

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Should parish councils be charged rent?

Meltham Town Council will be liable for £17,632 and both Denby Dale and Mirfield should be billed £14,848.

Denby Dale Parish Council is due to have its Skelmanthorpe premises asset transferred and will not be charged once that takes place.

Holme Valley Parish Council is in the early stages of doing an asset transfer.

Clr Graham Turner, cabinet member for resources and community safety

Cabinet member for resources, Clr Graham Turner, said: “Parish councils raise their own money through their precepts. Many have substantial reserves.

“I don’t see why residents of Kirklees who don’t live in those areas should unfairly subsidise those five councils.”

But Holme Valley South Tory, Clr Nigel Patrick, said the move was a “kick in the shins” for parish councils who were working on asset transfers from Kirklees and thus incurring the running costs of the building.

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The cabinet agreed charges would be deferred for any parish council that was in negotiations to asset transfer its premises.

Parish councillors and officials have complained that many of their buildings were sold off by Kirklees following local government re-organisation in 1974.