MID Devon District Councillors have set the budget for the financial year 2019/20 including the council’s precept (their share) of the council tax which will rise by 2.99 per cent.

The full amount of Council Tax is made up of five charges known as precepts for five separate authorities. In 2018/19 every £1 of council tax past was divided up for the following services:

Mid Devon District Council received 10.7 per cent for Kerbside collection or refuse, recycling, housing, planning, street cleaning and leisure.

Devon County Council received 71.8 per cent for education, roads, care for the elderly and those with disabilities, child protection, public health, recycling centres and waste disposal.

Devon & Cornwall Police and Crime Commission received 10.1 per cent for law, order and crime reduction.

Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue received 4.5 per cent for fire prevention and fire and rescue.

Town and parish councils received 2.9 per cent for local amenities.

This year’s increase in Council Tax will mean that 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 - an increase of £90.13 per year.

What do you think of the increase and do you think your Council Tax money is spent wisely?

What you told us …

I don’t mind if it goes to a good use and it’s going to help. It will be interesting to see what the money gets spent on.

Marilyn Carpenter

It’s a lot of money. It’s a lot extra to find every month and we already pay a lot.

Di Perkin, Copplestone

That’s quite a big rise especially as they are cutting down on policing - what with knife crime it’s the police that need the money. There’s a lot of wasted funds on the council with their all their perks and pensions etc.

Ayesha Godfrey, Crediton

These increases are expected as councils see their own costs rising and we have to accept the reality that Council Tax isn’t going to decrease. Almost £100 extra per year isn’t extreme, but just under the allowed 5% maximum, obviously they will try to get the most they ‘justifiably’ can.

Understandably, any increase is unwelcome, especially as we see services cut year-on-year; what is more irksome to me is the way in which it is spent. I wouldn’t mind the increases so much if I wasn’t paying more, but getting less for it each year.

Crediton Resident