Budget Changes

A message from the MAYOR of Great Torrington

The Town Council budget has once again been kept to a 2% increase.

However whilst the budget that the council spends on your behalf has only increased by an average of £1 per property your council tax bill will suggest a greater increase.

For this 2015/16 year Torridge District Council gave £12,485 towards the Town Council budget. For the next financial year that contribution has reduced to £5,972.

Therefore even if the Town Council budget was not increased, the Town Council would have to increase the amount of money it raises from the council tax to meet this reduction of £6,513. In real terms the Town Council is only increasing its budget by £2,810 but adding the £6,513 to this gives an overall total of £9,323.

The vast majority of properties within the parish are within the Council Tax bands A and B where the average increase in the Town Council part of the Council Tax bill will be circa £2.70 for the year. About the cost of 12 eggs!

For Band D properties the increase will be circa £3.74 for the year, which is just more than a pint of beer.

So whilst the Council Tax bill might suggest otherwise the actual Town Council budget has only increased by 2%.