Bridgnorth council tax bills rising to pay for services

The county council is considering a plan to bump up the average council tax bill by nearly £50 – and now Bridgnorth's town authority has opted for a rise on top of this.

Bridgnorth Town Council members voted last week to increase the council tax precept by four per cent after a 10 per cent rise was rejected.

The decision was made at the last council meeting held last week and will result in an increase in the town council's share of resident's council tax by £4.63 a year for a Band D property, raising it to £120.53.

Currently, the town council receives just under 7.5 per cent of the total council tax paid by residents in the town.

The precept charge is an annual amount that goes towards the provision of services for the town not paid for by the other authorities.

Councillors discussed three proposals for the precept at the meeting, leaving it unchanged, raising it by four per cent or raising it by 10 per cent.

Bridgnorth mayor David Cooper said: "The council faces a difficult choice in setting its budget this year after holding the council tax steady in three out of the last four years, and absorbing a loss of income when Shropshire Council decided to withdraw Council Tax Support Grant in 2015.

"But the council had to ensure it could cover its costs and faced increases in National Insurance and pension costs.

"Shropshire Council will be making substantial cuts to its budget and is likely to stop doing some of the things it currently does. Local communities will be expected to do more for themselves, but at this stage the town council couldn't anticipate what it will be asked to look at or budget for it.

"We also have to be mindful that Shropshire Council is likely to be increasing its share of the council tax. Currently, its cabinet is considering a rise of just below four per cent which would add over £46 a year to the average household bill."