Ross-on-Wye residents will see another increase in their council tax for the next financial year (2017/2018), after members of the Town Council voted to increase their precept at their full meeting on Monday, January 9th.

The parish precept will rise by 10%. Currently, a Band D property has a council tax rate of £1675.83 per year. This amount goes to many different groups and organisations, such as Herefordshire County Council, the fire authority, the police, and the town council.

Of the £1675.83, Ross Town Council receives £83.40 per year. But following the result of the vote at the meeting on Monday night, this amount would mean that the occupier of a Band D property would pay £91.45 per year towards Ross Town Council.

This increase would be in addition to the proposed increase of Herefordshire Council’s precept, of 6% over the next three years.

Ross Town Council’s Finance and Personnel committee recommended that the Full Council increase their budget to ensure that commitments to provide public services and amenities could be met.

Councillor Chris Bartrum said that he was happy for the new budget to be set, but he disagreed with raising the precept, and he said that he thought the Town Council could take the money from its reserves instead of adding another increase to council tax. “We’ve got hundreds of thousands of pounds in our bank account,” he said.

However, members of Ross Town Council voted in favour of increasing the precept.