Midsomer Norton Town Council agreed its budget for the 2022-2023 period on Monday evening this week and with major projects being worked upon and costs increasing nationally across the board, it was no surprise that an increase will be made.

Cllr Brian Lawrence, Chair of the Finance & Operations Committee, explained to fellow Councillors that before Christmas, it was looking likely that there would need to be an increase of around 4.3% on a Band D property, whilst they waited for final figures from B&NES about the subsidy that would be received. He said that no one had been happy about this but that the figure had since been reduced to a 3.7% increase which included some cost-saving measures.

The increase will equate to a £3.77 per year increase for a Band D household, £0.07 per week.

Cllr Michael Evans said that whilst he hoped that the increase would be kept within an inflation rise, major projects such as the Town Hall transformation and further work at the Town Park would provide a “dramatic improvement for the town without putting a huge burden on the Council Tax payer.”

Councillor Gordon Mackay, Chair of the Town Council’s Planning

Committee said that quite a few of the Town’s improvements had been paid for by housing development funds (CIL). He added: “Although we fight tooth and nail against these developments, they have brought good things to the town.”

Town Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the proposed budget.