MID Devon District Councillors, at a meeting of the full council on Wednesday, February 27, set the council’s budget for the financial year 2019/20 including the district precept for council tax.

The councillors decided that for the next financial year the average Band D property will pay £203.84 to Mid Devon District Council, which is an increase of 2.99 per cent.

The amount of money the district council receives is one small element of a household’s council tax bill, with the others comprised of precepts from town or parish councils, Devon County Council, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue and Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commission.

This means a Band D household’s total council tax bill will rise from £1,855.77 in 2018/19 to £1,946.90 in 2019/20.

Commenting on the rise leader of the MDDC, Clive Eginton, said: “We are all aware that purse strings are tight for our residents and no rise in council tax is ever taken lightly.

"However, for five years this council maintained a freeze in council tax up until 2015.

"Now the council wishes to both maintain and improve our services and investment is needed to do that.

"The council remains in a good financial position and we pride ourselves on our officers’ ability and expertise to be innovative with our assets and ensure our funds are used to gain the best return for the benefit of our communities.”

Following the introduction of the Localism Act formal capping of council tax has been removed and replaced with a range of maximum percentage increases, depending on the type of authority. Any planned increase over these prescribed limits would require a local referendum.

The council has a duty to provide statutory services such as waste collection, recycling and street cleansing, homelessness provision and planning.

It says it is also committed to providing non statutory services for its residents which include investment in leisure, the provision of parks and open spaces and community development grants.

The council tax collected is used, in part, to fund these services and details of the allocated 2019/20 budget are: Waste, recycling and street cleansing - £5.2 million; Leisure - £4.6m; Planning - £2.4m; Economic development - £1m; Public health - £0.7m; Homelessness provision - £0.7m and Parks and open spaces - £0.7m.

Much of the costs above are also offset by significant income streams such as leisure charges.