WHITEHILL Town Council has agreed its budget and precept for the coming financial year.

Councillors voted for a precept of £339,384 for 2017-2018, which is a two-per-cent increase on last year’s figure.

At the council meeting, acting town clerk Andrea Mann explained that the council was being asked to consider two scenarios - one which assumes no council-tax support grant, and one which assumes a full council-tax support grant (£35,133).

This is because there has been uncertainty for several years as to whether parish and town councils would receive the support grant from East Hampshire District Council.

Generally, the district council lets smaller councils know in time for them to set budgets.

But this year there will not be a definitive decision until after February 23.

Despite the uncertainty, the difference is inconsequential to Whitehill Town Council’s final number, with the possible discrepancy plugged by the council’s general reserves.

The £339,384 figure was agreed, which would see a £79.97 charge for a band-D property (county and district council, and fire and police precepts will need to be added to this to get the final council-tax band-D charge).

“Because of the projected increase in houses in the town that (the two-per-cent increase) won’t actually affect the price per property,” she added.

With this in mind, councillors voted in favour of the figure.

Members also rubber stamped the total expenditure of £48,000 for the management of the Bordon Inclosure, which will generate £14,500 of income, leaving a total net spend of £33,500 for 2017-18. This is budgeted as a separate pot of money to secure the long-term maintenance of the land.

Town council chairman David Cooper said the “whole point” with the “Bordon Inclosure project” is that it has to “last 80 years”. “We can’t suddenly run out of money,” he added.

Hampshire County Council, East Hampshire District Council, Hampshire Constabulary and the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service will ratify their figures over coming weeks, forming the final council tax charge households have to pay.