Midsomer Norton Town Council reluctantly agreed to raise the precept for 2016/17 by 2% on Monday evening.
The rise, the first since the Town Council’s formation in 2011, is needed, councillors say, due to the situation B&NES finds itself in, with less money available from central government filtering down to local levels. This year, B&NES is having to reduce the Local Council Tax Support Scheme money which is passed to the Town Council by 10% from £32,030 to £25,620. Alongside this, the Town Council has large projects in the pipeline, which it hopes to deliver (such as the Town Park and a regeneration strategy). On a Band D property, the increase will mean a rise of around £1.72.
The Town Council also looked at maintaining the current rate, or raising it by 3%, ruling the latter as unjustified to gain surplus funds and the former meaning that rates would have to rise in coming years, with further significant cuts expected in government money. On average, the Town Council costs a Band D household £1.69 per week.
Speaking at the meeting, the Mayor of Midsomer Norton, Paul Myers, said: “Normally I wouldn’t be in favour of a rise, but we are offering people a lot of the things they asked for in the Community Plan Consultation. Cllr Michael Evans added that: “The case for a 2% increase is entirely acceptable, given what is planned in future. In comparison, Keynsham has had a rise of 5%.”
Cllr Brian Lawrence, from the Finance Working Party, explained that whilst more money would need to be found next year, he was hopeful that extra houses being built in the area would help ease the situation.