FACED with a massive hike in parish precept, a Wield resident has asked for a public debate on the parish council's tax-raising policies. But according to Andrew Marshall, his request for openness has been met by a closed door - a move which he believes has left the unelected council open to mistrust and criticism. Staggered by the attitude of a council which, he said, can increase the parish precept by 45.8 per cent without consulting the electorate, Mr Marshall is determined not to be fobbed off with an apparent vow of silence. His stand follows this year's parish precept rise from £3,000 to £4,500, adding £15 to the council tax bill for Wield residents) In a letter to The Herald, Mr Marshall points out that additional sums raised through this and last year's parish precept are double the amount levied each year for the preceding three years. And while much of the additional money raised has been earmarked for the refurbishment of the village hall, to improve facilities to comply with the Disabilities Discrimination Act, Mr Marshall is questioning whether it will be money well spent. "Over £60,000 of public money is being spent on the hall representing more than £500 for each household in the village, which is a lot for a small community to find," said Mr Marshall, who believes a public debate should be held, not just to enable residents like himself to agree a mandate for such a project, but to decide whether the hall is actually needed. With a small community of just over 100 properties, Andrew Marshall is concerned that the cost of maintaining Upper Wield village hall - an old building which was once the village school - could outweigh its amenity value. His worry is that the hall appears to be used by a minority of people in the village and that it is fundamentally wrong that the whole community should be paying for this facility without a public mandate. One of the questions which he believes needs debating is that, rather than maintain their own hall, Wield residents could make use of village halls in neighbouring Preston Candover, Medstead or Bentworth. It is a suggestion which is bound to cause controversy but one which Mr Marshall believes should be openly debated as part of the parish council's tax raising policy. But with the present refusal to entertain a public meeting, Mr Marshall believes the parish council is throwing itself open to criticism. His great concern is that not one member of the council was democratically elected. "At the last East Hampshire parish council elections, held in May 2003, two councillors were appointed when the Wield parish election was uncontested. Since then four other additional councillors have been co-opted," said Mr Marshall. His fears have been enhanced by the fact that the additional funds raised by the parish council have been passed to Wield Village Hall management committee - yet another un-elected body comprising some of the same people who sit on the council which, he says, could imply the possibility of cross-subsidy. While the doubling up of responsibility is not surprising in such a small community, Mr Marshall believes that this makes it doubly important for the parish council to be open about its actions. But when pressed, under the Freedom of Information Act, about the link between the two bodies, the council, he said, refused to divulge any information which Mr Marshall found "surprising". "With potential for cross-subsidy, a survey was undertaken of all councillors as to whether they were prepared to initiate open and democratic processes in the administration of Wield and consult local residents in respect of taxes raised. All the councillors refused to participate in the survey indicating a degree of contempt for their electors. "Indeed, the council refused to discuss the matter any further, which may be considered unusual for an elected representative. but could be interpreted as arrogant given that the councillors are unelected," said Mr Marshall who added that of the 58 parish council elections held in East Hampshire in May 2003, 41 parishes were not contested. "Given the tax raising powers of parish councils the electorate may wish to take more interest in the parish elections scheduled for May 2007," he said. l Chairman of Wield Parish Council Brian Collins felt unable to comment at the time of going to press.