Hatherleigh Town Council has had to make the difficult decision to raise the precept this year after 3 years of keeping it the same level of £25,000. We are fully aware this won’t be a popular decision in the current financial climate but your Town Council is in the same position of facing rising costs for the services it provides.
We receive no other financial support and to ensure we can continue to support local facilities, local projects and pay for essential services we are asking for a small annual rise per household to cover bringing our precept level up to £35,000.
For a Band D property this will be a household rise from £41.11 to £53.11. An annual rise of £12.00.
Our costs have to cover maintenance and services for:
Public toilets
Island park/toddler park
Bus shelters
Street care
Emptying of bins
Ground maintenance (eg flower beds, grass cutting)
Clerk/Insurances/website
Millennium Corner
Christmas lights
Our main financial support last year was to help the Visitor Centre which we intend to continue this year, this being an important hub for the town. Also we hope to continue offering small contributions to help groups benefitting residents as we’ve done in the past eg community transport and local events.
For the last 3 years we have been subsidising the Tuesday Market parking. When this began the Town Council believed this cost would only last 12-18 months. The decision has been made to cease this support to save this cost.
Hatherleigh is comparably low in its precept level per household compared with other towns/villages and we are serving a growing population. Hatherleigh Town Councillors (a voluntary role) wish to continue providing the level of service we’ve been used to for the town rather than cutting back. We hope you understand the position we are in.
Clare Tyson
Chair/Mayor Hatherleigh Town Council