ALTON Town Council has approved a budget for 2018-19 which will result in a 5.22 per cent increase in its council-tax precept to £631,845, brought about by a 100 per cent cut in its Government Support Grant.

It will take the town council’s proportion of the council tax, for a Band D property, up to £91.53, representing an annual increase of £9.07 per household,

or 17.04p per week.

The Government Support Grant, administered by East Hampshire District Council, amounted to £34,573, which required £5 per annum per household

be added to the town council precept to cover the loss.

In addition, Alton Town Council has agreed an increase of £4.07 per year

per household to cover the 2018-2019 budget requirements.

The council tax base has increased slighting from 6,884 in 2017-18 to

6,903 households for 2018-19.

In reaching its decision, the town council’s policy and resources committee

considered three options but settled for the largest increase because it was

considered the “most prudent course of action”.

Councillors agreed with town council leader Matthew Bayliss, who pointed out that while it was necessary to cover the loss of the support grant, it would be unwise not to increase the precept to make sure the town council was on a firm footing should the Government decide to impose a cap on parish-town precepts,

which could restrict the amount they are able to raise in the future.

Referring to the fact that the town council had managed to continue to fund its core clients, among them the Alton Community Association (£8,000), Citizens Advice East Hampshire (£10,000), Alton Buckle (£5,000) and the Bushy Leaze Children and Families Centre (£5,000) when others had not, Mr Bayliss told councillors: “It is evident that access for funds from other bodies to this town

are starting to dry up and it is up to Alton Town Council to make up the

difference. We need to be in a good position to do that.”

The decision was ratified at a full council meeting last Wednesday.