Villagers vow to fight 'unfair' council tax rise

Some residents of a group of villages in Telford have vowed to fight boundary reorganisation plans which would mean they would pay more in council tax.

Dawley Hamlets brings together a number of villages, which benefit from paying less council tax than residents in neighbouring areas.

However a proposal has been made to abolish Dawley Hamlets Parish Council and divvy up the into villages neighbouring towns and parishes in time for the 2027 local elections.

Telford and Wrekin Council said its boundary review is in the consultation stage, meaning residents can still provide feedback and influence any final outcomes.

"Splitting us up will hit people in their pockets," said Cllr Bob Wennington, chairman of Dawley Hamlets Parish Council.

"We're individual communities but we gel together and residents are happy with what we do for them.

"All of Little Dawley and Aqueduct could be part of Great Dawley Town Council, but we feel like we don't have much in common with the town, although we do rely on them for some services," he added.

The fee added on to council tax bills for 2025/26 by Dawley Hamlets Parish Council, known as the precept, is around £29 for a Band D property.

It is spent on local services, such as litter picking and the management of two nature reserves, and also organising annual events like remembrance services and summer parties.

However in the Great Dawley area to the north, residents paid £317 in town council precept, which contributes towards the running of the town hall, library, weekly market and Christmas lights switch on, to name a few of the services it provides.

The boundary change would increase the council tax of more than 6,300 voters.

The proposals also include moving the Small Hill area of Dawley Hamlets into Lawley & Overdale Parish Council, and Horsehay and Doseley into The Gorge Parish Council.

Lawley and Overdale Parish Council's precept fee was £108 this financial year, while The Gorge Parish Council added about £64.

"My fear is that we'll become part of the Ironbridge Gorge and lose some of our identity," said Angela Porteous from Horsehay in Dawley Hamlets.

"Ironbridge is a World Heritage Site, which is fantastic, but how much focus will be put on an area like Horsehay?"

Telford and Wrekin Council did not answer the BBC's specific questions on why it is proposing to abolish Dawley Hamlets Parish Council.

However, in a statement it did say that its draft proposals aimed at better reflecting community identities, addressing electoral imbalances, and ensuring effective local representation.

"The final outcomes of the Community Governance Review may yet change, depending on the feedback we receive," said Cllr Giles Luter, Chair of Telford and Wrekin Council's Boundary Review Committee.

"We would remind residents of Dawley Hamlets, and across the Borough, to make the most of our drop-in information sessions and complete the online survey," he added.

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