RATEPAYERS in Tavistock could face an even smaller tax bill next year after councillors decided to lower their demand yet again.
Last month the town council's forward planning committee agreed to set a precept of £80,000 for the next financial year — on Tuesday finance members overturned the decision and dropped the figure to £70,000.
The figure represents a fraction of the usual precept — around £160,000 — and is an attempt to balance out a huge precept last year, demanded to cover costs of a lengthy legal case involving repairs to council-owned properties.
Cllr Roy Connolly proposed next year's £70,000 precept.
'I would much prefer to see no precept being set at all,' he said.
Cllr David Stapleton stressed Cllr Peter Donkin's suggestion that councillors regarded last year's huge precept as a 'loan'.
'We have to redress that — it's absolutely vital. I would like to go as low as possible,' he said.
Cllr Betty Batchelor was concerned such a figure would not enable essential works to be carried out.
'There are still lots of things in Tavistock that are being neglected. I am worried about this whittling down,' she said.
Cllr Marjorie Corner said 'horrendous problems' would mount up if an adequate budget were not set.
'Our buildings must be maintained — £70,000 is, frankly, frighteningly low,' she said.
Cllr Pat Warne said the people of Tavistock were not 'daft' and would accept a reasonable tax demand.
Members agreed to set the precept at £70,000 on the casting vote of the finance committee chairman John Wright, but it has to be passed by the full council at its meeting next week.
Last year's precept was £622,375.