A plan to increase the precept paid by the residents of Ross to the Town Council by 38% has been put on hold until February, but the delay is due to obtaining fine details of figures rather than because of dissension among the Councillor. The decision will also be made after a public meeting on Friday February 7th when Councillors will be able to gauge the reactions of Ross residents.

Ross Town Council deferred the decision on its 2014/15 precept request until its meeting on February 10th. At Monday's Town Council meeting, a draft budget was put before the Council which would see the Town Council's annual precept request to Herefordshire Council rise by 38% to £264,635. This would equate to a 40p a week increase for Band D Council Tax payers in Ross, about £20 a year.

The overall feeling among Councillors was the increase would have to be made. No one expressed any opinion to the contrary and no one suggested that Ross Town Council should not take on the assets, in fact the Conservatives want the Council to push to see what else they could get, such as Kings Acre car park and the Library.

Read the full report in this week's Ross Gazette