IT was, as predicted, a lively meeting of Crediton Town Council at Old Landscore School on Tuesday, January 24, when the council considered its precept for the coming year, 2023/24.

After a great deal of debate and consideration of possible areas where cuts could be made to the budget presented before it, consideration was given to an eight per cent cut to the overall precept request.

This could have cut £36,000 worth of costs but this was lost with insufficient votes in favour.

It was deemed that such cuts would be “shortsighted”.

Councillors then took a vote on the proposed budget which had been prepared by the Town Clerk with the approval of the Council’s Affairs and Finance Committee.

The vote which was passed was for a 17 per cent rise on last year’s precept to provide an income of £450,000.

It was agreed that this figure would enable the council to continue with the services it wanted to continue, including the provision of youth services.

It was explained that the council staff had risen from four to eight to accommodate the youth service provision, the town council running services on different days from such services provided by churches in the town.

VALUE FOR MONEY

Earlier this month, the council said: “As Crediton Town Council delves into the budget for the next financial year, we are taking stock of the services we provide in the town, how we can make sure we are getting value for money and understanding what our community and taxpayers feel is important.

“Our recent survey aimed to give us information on where spending is essential and where it isn’t.

“Respondents said that clean streets, public toilets, youth work and public open spaces were essential.

“While Crediton Town Council isn’t responsible for all these areas, we will continue to work with Devon County Council and Mid Devon District Council to seek a fair deal for Crediton.

“We are aware of the cost-of-living crisis, and the financial situations our local authorities find themselves in.

“Both Devon County Council and Mid Devon District Council find themselves having to cut services to meet their funding gaps, and Crediton Town Council and Mid Devon District Council find themselves having to cut services to meet their funding gaps, and Crediton Town Council is the only authority allowed to increase its precept (our share of council tax) to support delivery of local services.

“We are being asked to take on further services, including additional grass cutting in Mid Devon owned areas, maintaining public toilets and play areas, and cemetery maintenance but our current precept is not enough.

“Given the inflationary rises we are all experiencing, the cost of running our current services alone will require an increase.

“We provide grass cutting and maintenance on town council owned assets, including People’s Park and Upper Deck; we cut many grass verges for Devon County Council to enable visibility for drivers; we provide a town CCTV system and a youth club delivering at least three sessions to our young people each week.

“In 2022, we were able to provide lots of community-based events, including:

• a wonderful Queen’s Jubilee Celebration in partnership with Crediton Town Team, and we were also a central part of the period of mourning during the Queen’s passing

• summer holiday events and Christmas provision for our young people alongside our “usual” youth work provision

• Warm Spaces in partnership with our local churches and organisations

• another hugely successful Christmas lights switch-on event, with new lights for our High Street.

“This is a small snapshot of what Crediton Town Council delivers, and we want to be sure that our community is receiving the best service possible.

“To enable us to do this, we encourage you to respond to our questionnaires and engage with us where possible.

“We want to know what Crediton needs.  We are the closest tier of local government and we are here to serve our community.”

Other areas of provision by the town council include allotments, grants to town organisations and much more.

ARK IN THE PARK

Cllr Giles Fawssett proposed an “Ark in the Park”, a building where the council could reside but also for many other uses.

Chairman Liz Brookes-Hocking advised Mr Fawssett to bring forward his ideas to future meetings.

Cllr Letch advised that Mr Fawssett begin a dialogue with Mid Devon District Council, owners of Newcombes Meadow and advised that there was a covenant that no further building take place at the site.

Cllr Mike Szabo suggested some budget cuts but after the debate this was rejected.

The clerk said that past rises had enabled the council to have relatively healthy reserves but added that now it did not have healthy reserves due to the provision of youth club where no annual budget had been allocated previously using reserves.

Cllr Jim Cairney said that the town council “needed to invest in the future”.

Cllr Brookes-Hocking said: “Over the years the town council has invested in the town.  It has had a vision and looked after the people in the town.

“After 25 years there are some things to be proud of.

“The Neighbourhood Plan was one of the first in the district, 15 years ago there was hardly a Christmas tree in the town.

“The council has invested in the town over the years.  We are punching above our weight is the view of the district council but this council won’t advance if not.”

Cllr Cairney said that Crediton “was the envy of Tiverton”.

It is understood that the 17 per cent rise would mean an increase of less than 50p per week.

The decision is due to be ratified by the council at a special meeting within the next few days due to a clerical error.