Chairman’s Precept Announcement

Dear Parishioner,

Stokenchurch Parish Council wishes to announce that the precept for 2026–2027 for a Band D property will be £56.44 per annum, or approximately £4.70 per month, generating a total precept of £122,722.50.

Our Council is entrusted with a significant portfolio of property and land, held not for profit, but for the benefit of the community. These include your Memorial Hall, Community Centre, Longburrow Hall, allotments, common land, library, parks, rights of way, and the spaces where families live, work, and grow. These are village assets — yours — and they are protected and maintained to serve everyone today and for generations to come.

Some of these assets, such as Longburrow Hall, now require significant investment to continue serving the community. While we are pursuing grant funding, we also need to show our own commitment through match funding — a small contribution that enables larger support and demonstrates that we plan responsibly for the long term.

Over the coming year, we will strengthen community engagement and harness the energy, experience, and commitment of both councillors and residents. It is both unusual and rare for a parish council to have such a strong presence of younger members, bringing fresh perspectives, energy, and long-term commitment, working alongside experienced councillors — some of whom have served the parish for over forty years — whose wisdom and dedication help ensure balanced, thoughtful, and well-grounded decision-making. Through a parish survey, your voices will guide our priorities, protect our landscape, incorporate our findings into a future neighbourhood plan and ensure that development reflects the needs and values of Stokenchurch. Now more than ever, we welcome new parish councillors to join our small but dedicated team. If you have the skills and a desire to serve the community, please send applications to: clerk@stokenchurch-pc.gov.uk. We are keen to hear from all voices — especially younger residents (18+) and those with experience in banking, legal, HR, farming, and countryside management.

To support this work, the precept will rise by 25%, an additional 0.88 pence per household per month. Which equates to £56.44 per year — roughly £4.70 per month, £1.08 per week, or 15 pence per day. For context £4.70 per month – roughly the cost of a basic monthly streaming subscription. £1.08 per week – around a quarter of the price of a regular coffee. Yet enough to maintain halls, green spaces, benches, youth initiatives, and other essential services that enrich our community.

This rise also reflects the reality of inflation — the gradual increase in the cost of goods and services over time. If the precept were held the same, year after year, the money we collect would lose value in real terms, meaning less could be spent on maintaining and improving the very services and assets you rely on. While it may have been tempting in the past to keep the precept unchanged for popularity, we are committed to planning responsibly and ensuring that Stokenchurch continues to thrive.

Much of our work happens quietly behind the scenes, but this Council is wholeheartedly committed to the future of Stokenchurch — to improving, protecting, and serving our community with purpose and resolve. Like our forebears, who had the foresight to protect and preserve the village for generations, we are determined to safeguard what matters, invest where it counts, and leave a lasting legacy. With the energy, ideas, and dedication of councillors and residents, we can drive meaningful, lasting change — strengthening our village, enriching our community, and ensuring it continues to be a place we are all proud to call home.  

Yours Sincerely

Robin Thomas

Chairman

Stokenchurch Parish Council