Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation
Because Letchworth Parish Councillors say they want to get rid of the Heritage Foundation in favour of their Parish Council, it is worth taking a look what this would mean for residents.
Being of Charitable status with a remit to benefit the residents of Letchworth, the Heritage Foundation contributes a lot to the town each year.
Here is a run down of their charitable contributions from their 2007 published accounts:
| Analysis of LGCHF Charitable activities 2007 | £ |
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| Cost of activities in furtherance of the charity's objects: | |
| Provision of community hall and facilities | £603,000 |
| Provision of day care hospital | £308,000 |
| Provision of heritage museum | £231,000 |
| Provision of minibus service | £84,000 |
| Provision of environmental improvements | £217,000 |
| Provision of community information | £92,000 |
| Miscellaneous charitable expenditure | £224,000 |
| Grants payable | £635,000 |
| Support Costs | £700,000 |
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| Total | £3,094,000 |
Additionally, £1,996,000 was spent on running the educational Standalone Farm and the Broadway Cinema.
So, if the Parish Council was successful in removing the Heritage Foundation, the above investments in the town would cease.
If the Parish Council decided to replicate these facilites out of their own precept, they would have to raise our parish Council Tax by a further 10 times on top of the tripling that they did this year. A Band H householder would be billed £1,000 extra each year.
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