Bridgnorth residents to pay 37 pence a week extra as town council rules out taking over services from Shropshire Council
Residents in Bridgnorth will be asked to pay 37 pence a week extra to pay for services, the town council has said, as it rules out taking over services from Shropshire Council.
On Tuesday (January 27) Bridgnorth Town Council members unanimously agreed the town council's budget for the financial year beginning on April 1.
The town council’s spending is mainly paid for through a share of the council tax which Bridgnorth residents pay to Shropshire Council.
But the town council ruled out taking on more services, after Shrewsbury Town Council announced earlier this month that it was taking on some of the services provided by Shropshire Council such as street cleaning.
Instead, Bridgnorth councillors agreed to increase the town councils share of council tax - known as the precept - by just under 10 per cent to meet cost increases and enable the town council to enhance some of its services.
The town council says the increase amounts to 37 pence per week for a home in council tax band D, taking the total of the precept to £4.06 a week.
Shropshire Council has been asked to include this when it sets the overall level of council tax at a meeting during February.
Bridgnorth Town Council said the budget will enable it to deliver key priorities that directly benefit residents and visitors alike.
These include investment in local play areas, the re-opening of the public toilet facilities at Innage Lane Car Park, and provision for improved maintenance of council-owned buildings and heritage assets.
The council also intends to enhance environmental maintenance in the town, helping to protect and improve the appearance of Bridgnorth’s streets, green spaces and public areas.
Mayor of Bridgnorth Councillor David Cooper said: “Councillors and staff have been looking carefully over the last few months at what we do and how we can maintain and improve the facilities that residents rely on. We also recognise the pressures on household budgets, and have tried to balance those conflicting demands.
"This investment will allow us to make some improvements to play provision; bring important public conveniences back into use; safeguard our buildings; and make Bridgnorth a cleaner, more welcoming, and better-maintained town.
"At this stage we will not be taking over the work that Shropshire Council does to look after the streets and the open spaces which it owns in the town, but our staff will be working with theirs to deliver an improved overall service.
"The council remains committed to delivering value for money while investing in projects that enhance the quality of life in Bridgnorth and support the town’s long-term sustainability. It recently launched a wide-ranging survey of residents and their priorities, which will help shape the council’s longer-term program."
