A HOLME Valley pensioner says he will risk going to prison by withholding part of his council tax.
Jeff Brooke, who lives in Magdale, Honley, is furious at the 22% tax increase announced by the Holme Valley Parish Council.
It means home owners in band D properties will pay a £1.32 a month on top of their council tax bill.
Mr Brooke, 79, worked as a mill engineer before spending time in the RAF and as a fireman. He also worked for Kirklees Council for about 12 years before he retired.
He said: "I think this increase is disgraceful. As far as I'm concerned all parish councils should be knocked on the head. What does it spend its money on? It's in my mind now to withhold part of my council tax next time I get a bill. I would be prepared to go to jail over this. That's the frame of mind I'm in at the moment. It's a bit like highway robbery.
"I think it's time people came to their senses and sorted it out. I look around at the Holme Valley and have to ask what does the parish council actually do?"
Mr Brooke said he was also upset at the 5% council tax increase announced by Kirklees Council earlier this month.
Ex-Holme Valley parish councillor, Martin Noble, of Brockholes, also responded with anger to the tax hike.
He said: "The Kirklees Council tax increase of 5% is bad enough -- but for Holme Valley Parish Council to increase its precept by an amazing 22% is just unacceptable.
"What chairman John Chilton should be doing is reducing costs, perhaps through redundancies. It's perhaps significant that there are no parish council elections this year, for if there were Mr Chilton and those who voted for this outrageous precept increase would be voted out.
"I feel bound to say that, as a former parish councillor myself, I now regretfully wonder if the parish council has not now priced itself out of the equation."
A parish council insider pledged information on how the cash is spent would be released "in due course".
