RESIDENTS in some York villages are paying more to their parish councils this year – despite the councils freezing their precept.

Osbaldwick Parish Council chairman Mark Warters said its precept remained unchanged at £10,000, but residents were still paying a little more.

For example, a Band D household’s payment had risen by more than one per cent, or 12 pence, to £9.62.

“It’s not the amount but the principle,” Mr Warters said.

He suspected the rise was due to more properties becoming exempt from such council tax payments because they had been converted to student lets.

Some other parishes in York which have frozen their precept are also charging households more, while others, such as Acaster Malbis, Askham Richard and Fulford, are charging less.

A City of York Council spokeswoman said assuming there was no change in the number/type or band of property in the year – no demolitions, new build, splitting or merging of properties – the band D equivalent could change purely because the occupancy of the property changed from several occupants to single occupancy or from single occupancy to multiple occupancy.

She said: “But of course there will always be movements in the property base. Added to this there are discounts for second homes/vacant properties and, as the chairman has identified, student lets.”