CHUDLEIGH Town Council is increasing its precept for 2016-2017 to £114,303 from £102,976.

The rise of 11 per cent will see those in Band D properties in the town paying more than £7 a year extra.

Currently householders pay £1,623.33 in council tax, of which £64 goes to the town council. The increase means that the Band D contribution to the council will go up to £71.68 per annum, equating to a weekly increase per Band D property of 15p.

The mayor, Cllr Richard Keeling, said he realised that in the current economic climate that any increase in council tax bills would be unwelcome.

‘However, we are faced with increasing overheads such as increases in utility charges and the need to modernise areas of the town hall. If we are to maintain our services to the community we need to introduce this increase.

‘We are also faced with more and more cuts in the services provided by the district and county councils as their central government funding decreases and it will be important for us to have the financial wherewithal to react when these cuts impact upon our community,’ he said.

Cllr Keeling said that this year the town council had funded the cutting of roadside verges, formerly paid for by the county council.

‘The town council does not have the level of cash reserves to meet a budget deficit so it is vital for us to produce a balanced budget,’ he said, adding that this could only be done by a small precept increase or cutting expenditure by no longer funding such things as community grants or Christmas lights.

He explained that the council had just made grants to three community groups totalling £3,000.

‘We have made grant awards to Chudleigh Youth Centre, Chudleigh Community Project and Chudleigh Carnival Committee.

‘For some, these grants will help them to meet their operating costs whilst, for others, it will enable them to enhance their service to the local community.

‘As a council we feel it is vital that we are able to continue to provide support to community groups next year and we will only be able to do that if we increase the precept,’ said Cllr Keeling.