North Tawton Town Council has agreed to raise council tax by 5.9 percent in the next financial year despite a plea to find a means of reducing the tax increase to no more than three percent.

At the February council meeting (February 7), councillors approved the finance committee’s suggestion for a budget of £174,277 and a precept — the share of council tax which can be used by a parish council — of £144,971 for the financial year 2023/24 which would see a Band D property paying a rate of £203.24 a year — £11.32 more than in the current financial year and an overall precept rise of £10,942.

This was despite several suggestions made by Cllr Christian Martin to reduce tax rates which included freezing the current precept rate for the coming financial year, capping the increase to three percent in line with Devon County Council’s tax rise cap and closing the town’s public toilets in order to reduce expenses.

He said: ‘At a time when people are already struggling we should be finding ways that we can save money. I propose we freeze the precept. We already have a lot in reserves.’

In response to the suggestions, members of the public urged the council not to close the toilets arguing that they are a vital public service and could negatively affect those with bladder and bowel problems.

Despite this, North Tawton’s finance committee has calculated that even with a precept increase, the total budget required for the next financial year starting in April has actually fallen by £44,638.

The budget includes £1,000 to cover the cost of purchasing new planters and troughs for the Square and over £3,000 to fill them twice a year and pay for the Christmas tree.

The 2023/24 budget also includes £3,500 from earmarked reserves to pay for a feasibility study into the possibility of redesigning the Square though this has not been labelled as a priority. The council’s finance officer has suggested that the public be consulted on the matter at the annual town meeting which is set for March 16.

North Tawton currently has the highest precept rate in West Devon with North Tawton residents in Band D properties currently paying a rate of £191.92 per annum.

In contrast, Okehampton residents living in a Band D property within the town council’s boundaries, are only paying £140.26 towards the town council’s precept, though this is set to rise to £186.42 in the new financial year — a rise of over 32 percent.

Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council has fought to lower council tax for the coming financial year and, as a result, agreed to reduce costs on signage, footpath repair and interpretation boards, meaning that residents will only face a rise of 3.41 percent.

The Hamlets’ finalised budget, approved in January, is now over £7,000 lower than what was first proposed and a rise of £1.40 per annum for Band D properties.