Mayor Councillor John Robertson told The Bridge he did not mislead Town Councillors when he warned the loss of Freemen Trust fund income had to be covered by an almost 60% rise in the Precept.
The Trust’s spokesman had previously told The Bridge the Mayor’s warning was ‘without substance or truth’. (The Bridge, Issue #24)
At two Berwick upon Tweed Council meetings last year the Mayor warned Councillors that a steep Precept increase was necessary because annual funding from the Freemen Trust (Schedule III funds) was at risk.
The Schedule III payment for 2026 then came in with a surplus which the Town Council now plans to use to fund one of the projects cited to justify the Precept rise.
‘I did not mislead councillors,’ said Mayor Councillor Robertson to The Bridge. ‘Reports presented to Council were clear that Schedule III income is variable and outside the Council’s control.’
The Mayor told Councillors in the November meeting: ‘There is a risk, a big risk that we may have one year, two years when we don’t get any Schedule III money at all and we have to prepare for that day.’ [Audio clip 24 November 2025 below]
He told Councillors that, because of the cost of works to the Town Hall which is owned by the Freemen Trust, there would likely be no funds paid to the Town Council for the foreseeable future from the Trust.
‘No substance or truth to the Mayor’s assertion’
However, a spokesman for the Freemen Trust strenuously denied there was such a threat to the town council funds and told The Bridge there was ‘no substance or truth to such an assertion by the Mayor’.
Audio recordings from the meetings reveal the Mayor clearly warning Councillors over the threat to Schedule III funds. This was despite these claims being countered by Cllr Catherine Seymour in the meeting.
No documents outlining the supposed threat to Schedule III income were presented to Councillors by the Mayor or council officers, nor requested.
Councillors told The Bridge they understood the Precept rise was to cover new projects such as £20,000 for promotion of the town market recently taken over by the Town Council.
At January’s council meeting it was resolved that this will now be paid out of the Schedule III surplus instead.
The Bridge has approached the Freemen Trust for comment on whether they believe the Trust was ‘used’ to manipulate Councillors into voting to increase the Precept.
The Bridge asked the Mayor whether, given the Freemen Trust statement that the assertion was untrue and that any ‘manipulation’ potentially undermines the entire vote in favour of raising the Precept, Councillors would now plan to revisit the 2026/27 Precept decision.
Mayor Cllr Robertson stated that: ‘The Precept was agreed by Council. Any decision to revisit it would also be a matter for Council, by resolution.’
Councillors ask how Precept works
At January’s Town Council meeting, subsequent to Council’s vote in December to increase the Precept, Councillor Hawken asked for clarification on how the Precept system works. (At 14:00 on audio recording here)
The Chief Officer, Iain McCready, then explained to Councillors how local taxes work. Northumberland County Council Councillor Isabel Hunter also contributed to the explanation from the public gallery.
Precept rise same time as record surplus Trust Fund
Questions are also raised by the higher-than-normal Schedule III pay-out this year with a surplus £52,000.
At the January meeting Council voted to use £20,000 of this extra money to meet the costs of a project (market promotions) which was part-justification for the 60% Precept increase for 2026/27.
When asked about this the Mayor told The Bridge: ‘the £20,000 originally earmarked within next year’s budget for town centre improvements will be reallocated to another priority project, to be determined by Full Council.’
* Freemen Trust Schedule III Funds are Statutory funds paid to the Town Council as a percentage of profits from the Freemen Trust’s investments ie stocks and shares. The amount is therefore variable.
This year the pay-out was effectively £200,000. This amount was known but was not shared with Councillors prior to the vote to increase the Precept.