Residents of an Isle of Wight town will have to pay more for services to help “to keep everything running”, a mayor said this week.
Mayor Christine Johnson said Brading Town Council expected to get less from County Hall this year so “something” had to be done and the precept would go up.
She told a meeting at the New Town Hall this week,
“We haven’t raised the precept for some years. I know it’s a very bad year.
“I’m sorry it’ll have to go up, but there’s not a lot we can do about it if you want services here to run properly.”
A range of services
Services that Brading Town Council is responsible for include allotments, the management of Beechgrove play area, Bully’s Hill Quarry, Butterfly Walk, the Brading Station and Visitor Centre and the awarding of grants, according to its website.
The authority is also in charge of public toilets in the town’s car park and specific street furniture such as bins, benches and noticeboards.
Harbour: Put the precept up to a maximum of two percent
Town clerk Sue Harbour said,
“When the budget was proposed for this year, it worked out on a tax base of 781.10.
“But shortly after that was calculated and submitted to the Isle of Wight Council, a letter came in with confirmation that the final tax base was 777.90.
“So there was a reduction of 5.2 on the previous year. It does put the precept up to a maximum of two percent.”
Brading Town Council’s tax base for 2023 – 24 was 783.10.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
