RESIDENTS in Newton Abbot are going to be faced with an extra £9 on their annual council tax bills.

Members of the town council agreed last week to up its share of the tax by more than 11 per cent – taking the fee for a Band D property up to £93 a year.

The increase – which works out as an extra 18p a week – has been put in place to fund services which have been scrapped by Teignbridge and Devon County Councils and picked up by the town authority.

Extra cash will also go towards the town council’s multi-million pound project to create a community hub and museum in the town centre.

The Newton’s Place project will see the defunct St Leonard’s Church transformed into a hub which will also house council offices.

The reduction in funding from central government is also to blame for the price hike.