At the Full Council Meeting Ryde Town Council on Monday 30 January 2023 have agreed to an increase to the precept of 24p per week per Band C household.
This equates to a yearly increase of £12.70.
The budget has been shaped by the record number of responses to the public consultation that RTC held in December 2022 which clearly demonstrated that the community wanted service levels to be protected.
Lilley: I am not willing to see this town go backward
Mayor Michael Lilley says,
“Ryde Town Council has had to make a very difficult decision at a very difficult time for all residents and particular the most vulnerable.
“Ryde is the largest, most populated town on the Island and Ryde Town Council is the second largest Local Authority after the IW Council.
“The current UK rate of inflation is 9.2 per cent and the proposed precept increase will prevent Ryde Town Council from having to make severe cuts to services. Due to the decisions made by the National Government last year and the ongoing war in Ukraine, we are faced with the very real triple threat of inflation, a cost-of-living crisis and deep, deep cuts to services across the board by IW Council.
“The Council had a hard choice of either cutting services or investing in growth for the future of the town and its young people. Every year for the past 5 years IW Council has cut services including youth services and now proposing to cut Ryde Help Centre at the Library.
“We cannot allow this to happen.
“We have an award-winning youth service, a fantastic Marina and we have invested and grown the town in a host of ways. For every 1p extra Ryde residents invest through the precept, Ryde Town Council is bringing in far more through external investment and grant-funding.
“Every year the events that we support bring tens of thousands of extra visitors to Ryde. This creates jobs and opportunities. We have to grow out of austerity and Ryde is growing and not declining like other towns on the Island.
“As Mayor and as a resident I am not willing to see this town go backwards.”
Cllr Simon Cooke added,
“I support the increase as I didn’t become a Ryde Town Councillor to manage the demise of the town.”
Dyer: Constantly looking for ways to increase efficiency and generate income
Town Clerk Lisa Dyer says,
“Ryde Town Council remains committed to offering the very best value to the community and we are constantly looking for ways to increase efficiency and generate income to support the array of services that we offer.
“Ryde is a designated Super Council and, as such, we take our responsibility to protect the community and the town as a whole very seriously.
“We do this by offering more services than any other Island council and we are confident that the people of Ryde understand that the increase in the precept has been designed for two reasons 1) to continue to see Ryde grow to become a front-of-mind option for businesses and visitors and 2) to ensure that those that need the most help will continue to receive it.”
News shared by Hannah on behalf of Ryde Town Council. Ed
