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Mayor: ‘lowest council tax increase since I started’

Newton Abbot Town Council

THE Mayor of Newton Abbot has said the proposed Band D increase of 16.9p per week to provide town council services such as street cleaning, public events and the museum would be the lowest since he became a councillor.

Cllr Alex Hall took his seat in the chamber in 2021 at a time when the pandemic and international affairs were sending prices sky high.

An additional burden on the Town Council had been the public’s expectation that services were maintained at a time when county and district authorities were reigning back from their traditional roles owing to cuts in government funding.

As a result, Newton Abbot Town Council’s share of the Council Tax bill had needed to increase by as much as 21 per cent in recent years.

But with some pressures easing, a meeting of Newton Abbot Town Council’s Finance and Audit Committee on Wednesday January 15 was given a report from Deputy Clerk Sam Scott.

She said that an increase of 16.9 pence per week for a Band D property, a figure calculated after scrutinising the books since July 2024, would be sufficient to cover the authority’s costs.

‘The increase is more in line with pre-Covid times which is encouraging,’ she said.

Cllr Hall, recommending that members approve the 4.83 per cent lift, said: ‘This is one of the lowest percentage increases I’ve seen since I started with the council.’

Committee Chair Cllr Colin Parker agreed and said the ‘economic crisis’ the entire country had experienced had increased costs all round.

He added that Newton Abbot Town Council had invested in new street cleaning equipment and additional maintenance staff while providing the wider area with many of its cultural services, such as the museum.

Cllr Phil Bullivant said the ‘regrettable but small’ increase was needed at a time when the chances of both the district and county councils being replaced by a larger authority were increasing.

‘I want Newton Abbot to be at the forefront of any developments that take place,’ he said.

The proposed 2025/2026 budget was discussed at Full Council on Wednesday January 22.

The Newton Abbot Town Council Band D charge in 2024/25 was £ £181.88. If the 4.83 per cent change is adopted the rate for 2025/26 will be £190.67.

For more information email [email protected] or call 01626 201120.