Travellers living outside Congresbury have paid less council tax for 13 years because an electoral blunder left their caravan park paying the wrong village hall.

North Somerset Council included residents of Moorland Park in Puxton when drawing up the electoral register instead of Congresbury – with which they have greater community ties.

Puxton charges each household less than Congresbury – so residents were unwittingly receiving a cheaper yearly bill than they should have done.

The council has recognised the mistake and are going to reimburse Congresbury's parish coffers with £8,000.

Congresbury Parish Council said it is likely to spend the windfall on projects in the village.

The boundary between the two villages runs along the side of Moorland Park, which opened on the A370 in 1992 and is owned by businessman Peter Penfold.

Congresbury Councillor Tom Leimdorfer exposed the error when he queried whether people living in new developments in the village had yet been included on the electoral register.

He realised people living in Moorland Park had not been included on the electoral roll for Congresbury when he studied the register to research his question.

Congresbury Parish Council clerk, Jo Duffy, said: "North Somerset Council has realised the mistake and is now rectifying it.

"There is about £8,000 in council rates which is due to us and it is likely this money will be spent on projects in the village rather than offset against next year's parish council precept.

"There will be a meeting of the finance committee to discuss how the money will be spent."

Congresbury Parish Council, which has a population of about 3,500, set a precept of £89,017 for the year 2008/9 while Puxton, with a population of about 300, set its precept at £4,500.

The difference in precept rates mean people in Congresbury would pay £65.70 a year for a band D property while people in Puxton pay half as much, at £32.03.

People living in Moorland Park could see their council tax bills rise when the adjustments are made to the electoral register and council tax bills in time for the new financial year.

North Somerset Council spokesman Nick Yates said: "The error affects a very small number of voters and this will be corrected when the new electoral roll is completed in December this year."