CALSTOCK Parish Council has voted unanimously to back an increase of £37,000 in its precept for the year beginning on April 1 next year.

This represents an extra £100.30 per year on the council tax for a Band D property, or 29p a week. The precept is the parish council’s portion of the council tax which households pay each year.

Cllr Mark Warwick, chair of the council’s finance committee, said: ‘We can do exactly the same as we have done each year but we will still have to increase the precept.’ He said there would need to be a 17% increase in the precept year on year, just to provide the same level of services.

He confirmed that the coming year’s budget included repair of the village car park.