Tax to be paid back by council

A council near Wolverhampton is to give taxpayers back the money they were charged over the past 12 months.

Shifnal Town Council has slashed its precept after deciding to sell a crumbling magistrates court building.

It had raised money through council tax last year to try to redevelop the 166-year-old building.

But a controversial bid to demolish the building to make way for four homes was deferred three times.

Instead the council decided this year to sell the building through Andrew Dixon estate agents.It has permission for five flats and an office space.Residents forked out an extra £157,860 in council tax for the possible redevelopment of the former court.

Town mayor Councillor Les Jones said it meant the council could return the money it had charged on the precept.

He said: "Last year we had the building surveyed and it was found to be unsafe We couldn't get a planning approval unless we shored up the building. We had doubled the precept last year to compensate but we didn't spend the money so we are giving it back."

Council tax will go up across the Bridgnorth area of Shropshire by 3.5 per cent. Rate payers will also see their precept fall from £169,000 last year to £65,000 for 2010/2011.