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08
Jan
Town councillors approve Harrogate precept hike
Town councillors have agreed to a hike in Harrogate’s precept as part of budget proposals for the next financial year.
At a full council meeting of Harrogate Town Council at the Civic Centre last night (January 7), councillors backed a move to more than double the charge for a Band D property to £25.78 from April.
Band D properties currently pay £12.73 to fund the town council's work through their council tax bills.
The town council’s budget estimates the authority will be required to raise around £740,639 for the forthcoming year.
Meanwhile, councillors also agreed to use a £30,000 financial surplus from the current year to fund a lower precept level.
Cllr Chris Aldred, Liberal Democrat mayor of Harrogate, said:
This is a landmark moment for Harrogate Town Council. Our first year was about laying solid foundations; this budget enables us to begin delivering visible benefits for residents while remaining financially responsible and focused on the town’s long-term future.
He added that the precept remained the lowest of any town council in North Yorkshire.
Much of the budget centres around administrative and staffing costs.
But it also includes funding for community events, improvements to allotments, grants to local voluntary and community organisations, partnership working, youth provision, civic responsibilities and progress toward securing permanent council offices.
However, Cllr Michael Harrison, a Conservative councillor who represents Saltergate ward, pointed out at last night's meeting that the move to more than double the precept on last year was difficult to justify.
He said:
I recognise that this is the first budget that this council has had to plan. I want to recognise that the charter trustees did set a minimum budget for this council to inherit. But, the optics of doubling the precept 105% is very difficult to justify to the wider public.
Cllr Harrison added that there was “fat in the budget”, including a “generous” contingency funding and money for new council offices of £110,226.50.
Councillors voted for the budget plan by 14 votes in agreement to one against. There were two abstentions.
The new precept level will be included in council tax bills from April this year.
Final council tax bills will also include contributions to North Yorkshire Council and York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.
The Stray Ferret took a closer look at the finances in Harrogate Town Council's budget in a feature article, which you can read here.
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