‘Modest’ 23p week Council Tax increase to deliver new £1million community space and safeguard public services for Newton Abbot

‘Modest’ 23p week Council Tax increase to deliver new £1million community space and safeguard public services for Newton Abbot

NEWTON Abbot residents living in a Band D property are to be asked for an extra 23p per week to safeguard public services and help fund a new £1 million community space.

The project, dubbed ‘Newton’s Place 2’, would repurpose an empty town centre retail unit, creating an events venue and gallery together with youth training cafe and pop-up work space.

The scheme would also allow the town’s CCTV team to relocate from its current crowded base.

In addition, the 23p weekly increase to the Town Council’s share of the Council Tax bill would cover its growing commitment to services such as public toilets, street cleaning and grass verge maintenance.

The rise of 6.15 per cent, approved by the Full Council on January 21, will take the Town Council’s share of the annual precept for a Band D property to £202.40, up £11.73 on the current figure.

Hikes faced by the Town Council include street cleaning costs where the charge for disposing waste collected by staff is set to double from approximately £2,800 to £5,600 per year.

Also going up sharply are fees for maintaining the Newfoundland Way toilets, rising from £11,400 per year to £15,000.

Mayor Cllr Colin Parker said: ‘Newton Abbot Town Council is increasingly stepping into the void left by Devon and Teignbridge as they move away from services they are not obliged to provide.

‘We are also determined to provide new facilities that our residents have asked for.

‘The 23p per week we’re asking for is very modest when you think it could not only help us maintain our town to a standard everyone expects, but also deliver a brand new major community space.

‘We look after several much-loved spots such as St Leonard’s Tower, Town Quay, Victoria Gardens and Golden Lion Square where our maintenance team has just carried out a magnificent refurbishment.

‘We also provide allotments and arrange the annual events programme which includes the classic car show, party in the park and all the Christmas attractions.

‘Plus, of course, we have our amazing museum in Newton’s Place where visitor numbers continue to grow and community rooms are available free or at reduced rates for local groups.

‘Charities such as Community Transport and the Community Shed also rely on the grants we provide.

‘Twenty-three pence doesn’t buy much these days and we believe the little extra we’re looking for hits the right balance between improving facilities, safeguarding services and keeping costs as low as possible.’

For commercial reasons the exact location of the proposed new community facility cannot be identified at this time.

The images show members of the Twilight Sketching Group at Newton Abbot Museum – just one of the activities supported by Newton Abbot Town Council