COUNCILLORS this week recommended that council tax for West Devon ratepayers be raised by 1.9% to meet the council's budget gap.

West Devon Borough Council's resources committee has recommended an increase in council tax of 1.9%, which equates to a Band D council tax of £208.39 for 2015/16, an increase of £3.89 per year, or seven pence a week.

The council is facing a budget gap of £567,710 for 2015/16 due to cuts in funding from central government. To address the gap, the council's resources committee was given two options — the first being the increase, the second to accept the Government's offer of a Council Tax Freeze Grant, equivalent to about a one percent increase in council tax — around £39,000. Taking the grant would lead to a larger budget gap of £601,160.

The situation is the same as that faced by the borough council last year, when it made the same decision to raise council tax by 1.9%.

Cllr Bill Cann, ward member for South Tawton, said: 'The council finds itself in a very difficult position.

'We haven't got much money and there is not much money around. The 1.9% increase is a sensible way to go forward.

'I don't like the idea of going the other way and accepting the freeze grant, it could tie us down in the future.

'I'm not saying it's wonderful, but in the real world we live in, if we want West Devon Borough Council to survive, there is not much other option.'

Cllr Paul Ridgers, ward member for Drewsteignton, said: 'Here we are again, looking at the same two options.

'The freeze grant seems a straightforward choice on first look but it puts us too far behind in terms of the budget gap.

'We have such a small tax base, the catch-up would be too much with no guarantee of support from central government in the future.'

The leader of West Devon Borough Council Cllr Philip Sanders said he hoped that the full council would support the recommendation when members made a final decision on the increase in the next few weeks.

Devon County Council will be setting its tax rates shortly.