Town Council committee proposes two per cent rise in Marlborough’s share of council tax

At its next full meeting the town council will have to consider a recommendation that there should be a two per cent increase for the financial year 2015-2016 in the precept – that is the town council’s share of council tax.

The recommendation came at Monday’s (December 1) meeting of the Finance and Policy Committee.  The two per cent is equivalent to about six pence a week on the average council tax bill.

The decision was made with last year’s 15.49 per cent rise in the precept very much in mind.  That rise was largely down to the withdrawal of support grants by central government under the coalition’s austerity programme.

The two per cent rise has been reached partly by reducing spending on the Town Hall and increasing the spend on open spaces and events.  The recommendation went through by five votes to three.  

And the three?  Two of them wanted the increase to be three or four per cent as a hedge against future rises and possible capping by central government.  They were also worried about future pay increases in the public sector after several years of frozen wages and other inflationary pressures.

The third opposing councillor said the town needed more spent on its open space.  He also wanted a proper store for all the items the council was now responsible for which had previously been provided by Wiltshire Council and the Police – including road signs for events.

Looming over the debate was the figure of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles.  Would his threat to cap rises hit if next year’s precept went above the two per cent?  Or would the council be capped next year if they went for two per cent now and needed a much larger catch-up rise the following year?  The future of such issues, it was decided, was uncertain.

The next full council meeting is on Monday, December 15.

National Pay Award:  the committee accepted the 2.2 per cent two year pay deal that has been agreed nationally for local government staff.  It will start on 1 January 2015.  In the current financial year it will cost the town council just over £3,000.

Planning:  the Planning Committee approved the building of a two-storey extension at the rear of the White Horse Bookshop – this will house an ‘event room’ for talks, readings and meetings.