AN ERROR in St Helens has seen village tax bills rise 21.5 per cent — instead of the approved 3.4 per cent — causing concern for residents.

The St Helens Parish Council apologised for the mistake and the time it took to rectify the issue at its meeting last night (Monday).

However, it said it had to be absolutely sure of the situation before acting.

It had received emails of a threatening tone calling for the resignation of the parish council.

Cllr Jonathan Bacon, chair of St Helens Parish Council, said the emails were inappropriate and unnecessary.

The accidental increase meant, for the average Band D taxpayer, the part of council tax that funds the parish council, increased by £12.57 a year.

It took the total precept for a Band D St Helens resident to £70.92 a year — up from £58.35 the year before.

A 3.4 per cent increase, as approved by the parish council in February as an 'overall small percentage increase', would have seen bills rise by around £2 a year for a Band D resident.

The mistake, the parish council says, was not noticed until bills landed on the doorsteps of residents earlier this month.

Reacting to the increase, one resident said villagers were going to be financially struggling this year and not everyone had the money available.

Explaining the increase yesterday, Cllr Bacon said the Isle of Wight Council had been sent the wrong figure to base council tax bills on.

The Isle of Wight Council received the parish council's planned total spend figure for the year, instead of what it was asking for as a precept from residents which would go towards funding the total spend figure.

Cllr Bacon said unpicking the error had proved more complicated than hoped due to the strict legislative framework that regulates this area of local government.

He said the Isle of Wight Council took the view the precept was properly set and there was no error but further deliberation determined the approved precept was inconsistent with the billed figures.

St Helens residents will now receive revised bills in the next few weeks with the correct precept figures.