RESIDENTS in Tavistock could see their council tax hike up next year if the town council’s annual council tax support grant is withdrawn as planned.

The £26,670 grant given to the town council by West Devon Borough Council is due to be scrapped for the next financial year, equating to a possible 4.23% rise in the precept.

Along with the cost of the town council’s planned take over of two of the town’s public toilet facilities — to the tune of around £60,000 — next year could see a hike in the precept by nearly 15%.

Members of the town council’s budget and policy committee were informed of the borough council’s planned withdrawal of the council tax support grant in a letter which stated that the borough council approved a recommendation to consult with all of the town and parish councils within the borough, on the basis that the borough council was ‘minded to’ withdraw the council tax support grant from town and parish councils with effect from April 1, 2020, in line with other Devon district councils.

Members of the committee expressed their disappointment that the borough council was withdrawing the grant.

Cllr Lesley Crawford said: ‘We are already planning a rise for taking on the toilets so this feels like a double whammy. I definitely think we should express our disappointment. I understand that we have to set our budget to our income but agreeing it could add up to 14 per cent which is a huge increase.’

Cllr Mandy Ewings said: ‘This year with the toilets and now this, it’s going to be nearly 15 per cent before we even start. Unfortunately, the only way is to raise the precept. We have to recommend this is what we do because where else is the money going to come from? Next year quite a lot of other councils are going to have to put theirs up to match what’s being taken away.’

Town clerk Carl Hearn told members: ‘The borough council will not be receiving the grant so it is not being passed down to this council. The impact of this will mean if we are to stay the same, we will have to add on 4.23 per cent to cover the loss. Discussion needs to take place as part of the budget setting process.

‘There are unknown costs to do with the toilets and the Guildhall Gateway project. The toilet committee has said it wants a high level of certainty on costs [from the borough council] before the budget setting. It looks to be around £60,000 for the running of the two toilet facilities but the committee want to see exactly what that will involve before making a final decision on taking them on. Savings will come from a reduction or cut in services we no longer want to deliver in order to fund things which are our priority.’

The council’s budget setting process is due to take place later in the year, after which a final decision will be made.