The price of ‘a cup of Costa coffee’ is the increase Ryde residents are facing to their council tax precept, says Ryde Town Council’s finance chief.
Ryde Town Council has set its budget for the 2022/23 financial year and bill payers in the town will pay 2.5% more from April.
For the average Band D payer, the precept will increase from £149.56 a year to £153.34 — £3.78 more.
Speaking at a meeting on Monday, chair of Ryde Town Council’s finance committee, Councillor Phil Jordan, argued the increase would be an additional 7p a week and would equal the price of a Costa coffee. He said, with inflation standing at nearly 5%, the increase could actually be seen as a reduction in Town Council’s spending.
The proposal was unanimously approved.
Ryde Mayor, Councillor Michael Lilley, said the budget would see a range of opportunities ‘actually happen’ in the town, over the next few years. Included in the budget is £8,000 towards the first year running costs of Ryde Harbour, which the town council will take over from the Isle of Wight Council on 1st April.
Meanwhile, a proposal by Cllr Lilley will see each of the council’s 16 members get £250 for their ward, to put towards community projects.
The precept rise follows a big increase in 2021/2022 of 8.9% extra – to fund projects, including the purchase and refurbishment of some of the town’s iconic buildings.
The Isle of Wight Council sets its budget – and the main part of the monthly bill – in a few weeks. It has already been hinted the controlling Alliance administration is looking to increase payments by 2%.
Other town and parish councils across the Island are in the process of setting their budgets, which could see more tax increases, while a more than 4% police precept rise has also won approval.
As Ryde town council levy the highest precept charge on the Island. This smaller increase was long overdue. They promised that Ryde Harbour, which they take over on April fools day. Will not mean additional charges on the precept. Noted £8000.00. allocated in this budget.
I hope that the harbour and other recent building purchases, will not mean we get unfair precept charge increases, every year.
You will. They don’t know how to keep there fingers out of the pie. You are just the gravy train.
This is very frustrating! I don’t want to pay anymore and I certainly don’t want them to buy any more properties, harbours etc for grandiose schemes that we don’t need. We do need the basics to a good standard.
so is this 2.5% increase going to be spent on the fabric of Ryde or will it go into buying another building without asking us residents first or go towards the expenses of the councilors.
Any way why us? It’s unfair especially as we haven’t been asked our options. I don’t like paying a parish fee every month either but it seems I have to. If we don’t benefit from this increase, and we haven’t really so far from any council tax payments, then we should vote against it.
I agree with all comments especially Ryde Reader, put what’s wrong with Ryde first before the Lord Mayors ill thought vanity projects.