At a recent meeting of Manorbier Community Council, the precept for the financial year 2007/8 was considered. Present were Clrs. T. Wales, B. Coleman, D. Neads, M. Davies, M. Calver and M. Meyrick. Apologies were received from Clrs. T. John and P. Kidney. Clr. Neads provided councillors with a schedule detailing actual cost incurred to date during the current financial year (2006/7). He pointed out that, although there had been exceptional legal costs incurred during the year and it was not clear what further legal cost may arise for the rest of the year, the council had made savings which had not been budgeted for in the precept for the year. In particular, this included a saving in the region of £4,500 in wages for a clerk and administrative costs because this work had been done by Clr. Neads on a voluntary and unpaid basis and he had also met most of the administration costs without recharging this to the council. Clr. Neads also pointed out that the legal costs would effectively be substantially reduced when the VAT paid was reclaimed. After some fairly lengthy discussion, it was proposed by Clr. Neads and seconded by Clr. Coleman that the precept be set at £17,000 based on the previous year's precept, i.e. 2006/7 plus an increase in line with inflation. Clr. Davies requested a recorded vote and the proposal was carried as follows: In favour - Clrs. Neads, Coleman, Meyrick and Wales; against - Clrs. Davies and Calver.
