A TOWN council has refused to dip into its reserves to help establish a new parish council.

At the meeting of the establishment committee held in July, Stotfold Town Councillors rejected the request to transfer �90,000 to the fledgling Fairfield Parish Council.

Last Wednesday this decision was upheld at a full council meeting.

Cllr Geoff Smith, who had asked for a ‘goodwill grant’, said: “I was disappointed that despite the establishment committee saying ‘Stotfold Town Council is here to serve the people of Stotfold and has a responsibility to the people of Stotfold’ this responsibility does not stretch to include the one third of the town on Fairfield surely still part of Stotfold today.”

Stotfold mayor Brian Collier said: “Items such as a bus shelter, bench and newly purchased double-sided notice board, all within the new Fairfield parish boundary will be passed to the new parish council, together with associated maintenance responsibilities.”