Town council asks residents for 2p extra a week to fund its activities

Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Town Council at its January meeting,the annual revenue budget and capital programme to support its work for the community in 2022-2023.

After what councillors called reflective debate, and careful process which started in October, the council resolved to fund work through a precept of £178.54 per band D property; an increase of 99p per year per Band D property – the equivalent of 2p per week. The council will use £70,000 from its general reserves, and funding from other income, to achieve the final budget amount of £873,828.

The Council heard that its budget is driven by, and supports, the community Place Plan and its 5-year Business Plan, both of which were set out after community consultations. It also heard that unlike principal authorities, town and community councils receive no Revenue Support Grant or Non-Domestic Rates from Welsh Government and are funded through the local council tax.

Mayor, Councillor Richard Williams said: “As the cost of living increases, I am pleased that Newtown & Llanllwchaiarn Town Council has been able to keep its precept increase to a minimum. The small increase of 99p per year for Band D property ensures that future financial prudence is achieved and helps to reduce increases in the future to a minimum.

"Our annual budget of just over £870,000 for 2022-2023 allows us to continue our vital work in ensuring Newtown is a place for people to live, work, play and visit."

The Town Council said each committee had followed a process in which items from the Council’s five-year plan have been allocated to the most appropriate committee.

Each committee had then prepared a budget based on achieving the goals of the five-year plan within agreed timescales.

"These individual committee and ‘direct to council’ budgets have been consolidated to produce the final 2022-2023 budget, a process which started in October 2021," Councillor Williams said.