DATCHET Parish Council (DPC) has pushed back approving this year’s budget after members failed to agree on its details.

Members of DPC couldn’t agree on approving the 2021/22 budget’s details so it was agreed to push it back until February’s meeting to refine and clarify a few details.

Datchet Parish councillor Ian Bacon said when flicking through the finances, his revised figures show the council could have £146,000 left by the end of the year.

He said there were duplications in both the budget and councillors’ wish lists, which involves projects and improvements the parish wants to do, such as the £30,000 Riverside Jetties.

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Cllr Bacon also argued they should not raise the precept because the Royal Borough Council are eyeing an increase in council tax by five per cent.

The clerk of the meeting, Katy Jones, said a lot of these figures on the budget were earmarked or carried forward from money DPC already had from last year following recommendations from auditors.

She said: “We haven’t double-counted. We know we have the money for those and they’re earmarked and set aside.”

DPC’s lead member for finance and administration, Tim O’Flynn, said: “Come on, Ian. No fake news please.”

With matters becoming complicated, DPC councillor Peter Hough suggested refining details within the budget until February’s meeting to make it more clear to members.

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This was unanimously agreed.

However, DPC councillors agreed to keep the precept charge the same as last year, meaning a band D property in Datchet will still be charged at £63.70.

Cllr Hough said because the mix of housing in Datchet is slightly different, DPC will see an increase in income of 1.2 per cent anyway by keeping the precept the same.

He said: “I don’t think we should ask them [the residents] for any more money because they are going to get a hit from the borough council, and they don’t need a hit from Datchet.

“We’ve got enough money to get through this year and have plenty left.”