WILTSHIRE Council will cover the costs of parish council elections, it was decided at December’s full council meeting.
The change is designed to release parish council funds for investment in local communities.
The costs of staffing elections, printing ballot papers and hiring halls not owned by parish councils varies from £800 to £5,000 depending on parish size, but these costs will now be funded by the unitary authority. The average annual cost to Wiltshire Council is predicted to be between £35,000 and £40,000.
The development will mean that would be candidates will no longer be discouraged from standing due to financial pressures.
Wiltshire Council Leader Jane Scott said: "We believe it is right the unitary authority covers the cost of parish elections to promote and encourage democracy.
"It is a very good thing for us to be supporting and we should be offering parish councils this service so the cost doesn’t fall on them."
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