THE REQUIREMENTS for a city-wide poll on the controversial city council tax increase have "not been met".

But those that called for the meeting, and were there on the night, dispute these claims.

It comes after an extraordinary meeting was held in the Guildhall on Wednesday night, after which residents believed they had voted for a poll to be held. 

Now it emerges that the vote had actually been held on the motion itself. 

The motion was:

Do Salisbury residents support: 

a. A limit on any proposed increase to the parish precept by five per cent per year

b. If an administration wants to increase the precept by more than  five per cent  then a parish poll should be required?

There will now be a SECOND parish meeting on the matter, after six electors called for another meeting. 

It is the city clerk's intention to ask the elctors to sign the notice for the meeting at the beginning of next month. 

An email seen by the Journal states that if the notice is signed by six or more elctors by March 3, then a meeting can be held on Wednesday, March 15, at 6pm, again at the Guildhall. 

Confirmation of the new meeting is expected some time next week. 

At a full council meetingin January, Salisbury City Council agreed a rise in the precept of £102 per year.

This means that those who pay Band D tax council will pay £335 per year (an increase of 43.8 per cent), and those at Band C will pay £297.78, Band B £260.56 and Band A £223.33. 

The council says that within Salisbury 60 per cent of properties are Band D and below, with the most numerous band being Band C. 

Tensions were high at the meeting on Wednesday night, which ended with a majority vote in favour of the motion. 

The agenda for the meeting will be published at least three days ahead of the meeting - a skeleton agenda is usually published, but often items are added up to and even during the meeting. 

At the meeting, all issues are decided by a majority of those present and voting. 

A poll may be demanded - in this case on the controversial council tax increase announced by the city council. 

The cost of holding the poll falls on the city council, and therefore on tax payers, and the outcome of the poll is no more a\nd no less than an expression of the views of the electorate who have voted. It is not legally binding. 

City councillors, and the city clerk, were all contacted for comment, but none were able to respond at this time.