COMMUNITY Councils are now in the spotlight for contributions to local services following recent requests to the four big town councils for support in continuing vital services that Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) cannot afford.

At a Democratic Services Committee meeting on Monday 19th October, William McLean, Head of Policy and Engagement at MCC told councillors that legislation was in the pipeline from the Welsh Government that will force councils with a turnover of £200k for the last three years - Monmouth, Abergavenny, Caldicot and Chepstow - to contribute to four key areas of ‘sustainable development”, economic, social, cultural and the environment. The “Wellbeing of Future Generations Act” will put this development at the heart of all decisions.

Mr McLean said, “We need to think about Community Councils in terms of their ability to contribute and work with MCC on a broad agenda of the act.”

MCC is currently looking at the provision of services that will have to be stopped if town and community councils do not contribute to the creation of a £500k local fund; so far the response from the four main councils have been ‘positive’.

“But”, he continued, “the towns feel that undue pressure has been placed upon them to realise funds that people from a wide area benefit from.”

Councillor Roger Harris the Labour member for Croesonen said that everybody should get levied the same precept.

“There is no point in people in the depths of the countryside saying that they don’t come into the town and take advantage of what the precept raised in the town provides for the residents.”

He was supported by Ann Webb, member for St Arvans who said that the town has always subsidised the country and insisted that the community councils should not just pay the clerk but take a more active role and support more services in their community, such as the Citizens Advice Bureau.