Welshpool set for ‘below inflation’ council tax rise

Welshpool council tax payers are set for a below inflation increase of around 3.9% to their town council precept, it was revealed last night.

But the Finance Meeting was told how much it costs to run the Town Hall and Tourist Information Centre, as well as services like the toilets and street clean.

Councillors were informed that around £869,050 will be required by the authority for the next financial year, an increase of almost £100,000 compared to two years ago.

But the draft budget laid bare the costs of running the town’s services and buildings, with the Town Hall alone set to cost tax payers £164,450 next year after expected income is deducted.

The Tourist Information Centre is expected to run at a loss of £72,600 for the year, while services like the public toilets and street scene, which Welshpool was the only town council to adopt in Powys a decade ago, will cost around £20,000 and £70,200 respectively.

It means Welshpool householders will likely remain as the second highest precept payers in Powys, behind Machynlleth, prompting Cllr Phil Pritchard to urge that any new projects “should only be taken on if covered by grants”.

But in the current financial climate, councillors were largely buoyed by the fact that the likely 3.9% rise will come just under the current 4% rate of UK inflation, with roughly an extra £10 to be added to each household’s annual bill. Precepts for Powys County Council, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Dyfed-Powys Police will come on top for the overall Council Tax bill.

The Finance Committee’s Chair, Cllr Dr Ben Gwalchmai, said: “I don’t think the people of the town will hold it against us to raise the precept in line with inflation, so that we don’t have to raise it again by 20% next year or whatever. I genuinely think that’s fair.”

Finance Officer, Vanessa Voysey, said the budget needed a few tweaks based on the councillors’ comments ahead of being presented to full council next Wednesday, when the 2024/25 budget has to be agreed.

Cllr David France added: “I am very happy that we are broadly keeping the precept rise at no more than inflation this year and that we are not putting too much of an extra burden on the residents of the town.”

Last year, residents were stunned when a whopping 17.8% was added to their Welshpool Town Council precept in response to the cost of living crisis.