Fall in council tax for Wootton Bassett (From This Is Wiltshire)

Fall in council tax for Wootton Bassett

1:50pm Tuesday 9th February 2010

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FAMILIES living in Wootton Bassett have welcomed a one per cent cut in their council tax.

Town councillors deliberated last week over budget figures projecting council spending to March 2011.

A spokesman for the town council said: “The task of calculating the income and expenditure budget is an important one to get right. “Too high and residents’ council tax bills rise, too low and the council finds itself with too little in the pot to cover essential spending.

“In the midst of the country struggling to get out of recession and the prospect of rising unemployment nationally, a cut in council tax is to be welcomed. “Wootton Bassett Town Council is healthily in the black and, despite a significant loss of investment income due to falling interest rates, has managed to maintain and improve services without needing to increase the precept.”

Coun Peter Doyle, the chairman of the council’s revenue and resources committee, said: “The town council continues to focus attention on maintaining and improving services. “This year saw the completion of a 10-year programme to upgrade all the play areas in the town. “The council is seeking efficiency savings to ensure best value is obtained for residents while also reducing costs wherever possible at this difficult economic time.”

Coun Doyle said vandalism represents 2.5 per cent of the precept and reducing vandalism would help to bring council tax bills down still further.

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