TAVISTOCK Liberal Democrat town councillors have denounced the 10% increase in the council?s precept next year.
The council last week agreed to levy a precept of £193,000 for the financial year 2003/2004, a rise of £18,000 from the previous year.
Liberal Democrat Cllr David Stapleton?s motion for a reduction in the increase in the council?s precept from 10% to 2.8% was defeated at the meeting of the full council on Tuesday, December 3.
He said the motion aimed fully to restore cuts made to community grants for Taviskate, play park equipment and path maintenance, with savings coming from a £30,000 reduction on the planned maintenance work on the town council offices in Drake Road.
After the meeting, Cllr Stapleton attacked the priorities of his fellow councillors.
?How can we justify spending money on ourselves on this scale when community groups? hopes are dashed yet again?
?It was reported in last week?s Times that Taviskate have raised £750 by their own efforts. The town council meanwhile is to cut their one-off grant by £1,000. What a way to inspire the young people of Tavistock,? he said.
Cllr Pat Warne proposed at the meeting that the precept be raised to £200,000 to take account of both the Drake Road council office work and to restore the cut-backs in community grants, but this proposal was also rejected.
Tavistock Town Council?s £193,000 precept is levied on top of the council tax bill issued by West Devon Borough Council next spring.