LAST week on the letters page, under the title ‘Looking for investment from borough council’ your correspondent states that ‘[Test Valley Borough Council] spends £130,000 per annum on the [Andover] town council’.

This is not true.

The town council is responsible for setting its own budget and raises this revenue by setting a parish precept (tax). This is exactly the same way that every other parish council raises their precept.

Test Valley is however the authority responsible for collecting the council tax.

This includes collecting for the police and fire authorities, parish councils, the county council as well as its own council tax.

The town council is midway through its budget setting process and for those who are interested, they are most welcome to attend the next policy and resources meeting where this will be discussed in detail.

It will be held at the town council offices at 7pm on December 10. It is a meeting held in public and all are welcome.

Cllr Steven Hardstaff Chairman, Policy and Resources Committee, Andover Town Council