HASLEMERE Town Council is not increasing its share of council tax for 2017/18, despite a 15 per cent cut in its support grant from Waverley.

Last year, the town council agreed to increase its precept by almost 18 per cent, because its reserves were too low to run another budget deficit.

At last Thursday’s full council meeting, town councillors agreed to keep the precept to £264,273 – the same as their 2016/17submission to Waverley.

New roundabout sponsorship deals will net the town council £1,000 in the next financial year.

Its core expenditure includes £2,500 for a refurbishment of the council chamber, £4,000 for play equipment, and £3,000 for Haslemere Christmas lights switch on.

Non-core expenditure includes £4,000 for a youth worker with £2,000 accrued from the 2016/17 financial year, £2,125 for an electric column for Lion Green Christmas lights, £2,000 to refurbish the town well and £5,000 seed funding for Haslemere Penny Ha’Penny Trust.

A vote of thanks to Libby Piper, town councillor responsible for the budget, was proposed by town councillor Ged Hall and she was clapped when she told the committee: “We have a balanced budget and no increase in our precept.