BAND D households in Newton Abbot are being asked to contribute an extra 61p per week to help the Town Council keep on top of tasks such as street cleaning, running the Museum and staging events including the hugely popular Christmas festivities.
The weekly rise for Band A, B and C properties will belower at40p, 47p and 54prespectively.
The decision was taken in January as part of the authority’s legal requirement to set its share of the Council Tax bill for 2024/2025.
Among the duties undertaken by Newton Abbot Town Council are maintenance of various footpaths and public seats plus the care of Town Quay, Victoria Gardens, Golden Lion Square, Vicary’s Mill Leat and Queen Street War Memorial.
Looking after the historic St Leonard’s Tower is another responsibility as is the funding of the Museum and Newton’s Place community rooms.
The Town Council pays for floral displays and looks after bus shelters, provides allotments, awards shop improvement grants and employs Town Development Manager Sally Henley.
Each year it gives grants to grass roots organisations and arranges the annual events programme, including the Christmas festivities and classic car shows.
None of the Town Councillors receives a salary.
The new rates for 2024/2025 will take the Town Council’s total charge for a Band D property from £150.26 to £181.88, up 21 per cent.
Mayor Cllr David Corney-Walker said: ‘Any increase in our share of the precept is regrettable but the Town Council needs, as a minimum, to maintain services.
‘Residents expect a clean and tidy town and we are determined to keep providing an attractive programme of free family events throughout the year.
‘Today, 61p doesn’t even buy half a cup of coffee but it’s amazing what Newton Abbot Town Council can do with that weekly investment, particularly when our district and county councils are having to cut services in response to falling revenue from central government.
‘And it would give a false impression to focus on the percentage increase.
‘What’s more, if we shy away from taking responsible decisions now we’d be failing our community and storing up problems for the future.
‘That’s not going to happen under our watch.’
The below photo shows NATC Facilities Maintenance Officer Tony Little tackling weeds at Town Quay.
