COUNCILLORS have finally reached a decision on this year's budget after a series of lengthy debates. In the first full town council meeting of the year, mayor Paul Molloy said "sensible budgeting habits" had put the council in its best shape for years. The precept, set at £463,088, signalled a 9.2 per cent increase, working out at 4.2 per cent in net expenditure. Mr Molloy said: "I expect the public will expect nothing less and will not be incumbent with rage, for the increase of the budget is the price of half a loaf of bread per month." The final piece of the jigsaw budget saw the removal of £3,000 from the revenue budget into capital funds. All but one councillor accepted the motion and it was passed. Clive Shore was the only councillor against the final figures as he felt more could have been done to keep costs down. He said: "I am concerned about the revenue side. I accept a lot of work has been done, but there is still a significant increase." Mr Shore felt that up to £50,000 could be saved with cuts to maintenance and allotments funding, although he stated it was important to maintain assets and infrastructure. Projects set to benefit from this year's budget include the skatepark at Love Lane, which is the subject of a £270,000 overhaul, to which the council have allocated a £50,000 grant. Councillors heard that work at The Avenue tennis courts was due to begin in February. The project will receive £16,440 from the town council, with an additional £10,000 from developer's contributions for the resurfacing of the courts, plus provision of new nets and posts. And the town council's base at the Festival Hall, in Heath Road, was also to receive some cash for essential maintenance, although this was the area where substantial increases had to be made. Original quotes of around £40,000 to replace the windows rose to £117,560, and replacing the Rose Room carpet went from an initial £1,000 to £11,000. A new lighting desk also rose from an expected £2,000 to £12,000. Councillors also appealed for a list of priorities to be drawn up for future discussion in terms of allocating funds after concern was raised about the amount of projects yet to become fully funded. Mr Shore said: "I would like us to have a prepared list that we have agreed on. There are three items that are half-funded. I would like to see them fully funded so that we can get some of these things done. I have not seen a priority list of one to 30 that we have all agreed on." Mr Molloy countered, saying: "These are living, working documents that are changing all the time." And Bob Ayer added: "Fully funded today is not fully funded tomorrow. We thought the town hall windows were fully funded until we had the final sum in front of us." It was proposed that all items that were fully funded from basis of capital were to be discussed by the committee for prioritisation after town clerk Neil Hitch said: "You are lately tying this council up in knots as far as capital is concerned. You as members have got to be sensitive to the level of resources that we as officers have."
