NEWTON Abbot residents living in a Band D property are set 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, youth training cafe and pop-up work space.

The exact location is being kept under wraps which the council says is for ‘commercial reasons’.

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

The proposed increase would cover the town council’s growing commitment to services such as public toilets, street cleaning and grass verge maintenance.

The proposed rise of 6.15 per cent, yet to be approved by the full council, would 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 council include street cleaning costs where the charge for disposing waste collected 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.

‘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.

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

‘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.’