Mayor’s tax hike warning

MELKSHAM’S mayor, cllr Jon Hubbard, has said that town residents face an increase in council tax next year. 

At a town council meeting last month, cllr Hubbard warned that for the 2022/23 financial year, the town council’s precept – the proportion of council tax that is paid to the town council – will “probably” have to be raised to help the town council continue delivering its services to the community. 

Cllr Hubbard raised the issue during discussions about a possible ‘refresh’ of the town council’s logo, which could cost a total of £640. 

Warning town councillors of a “really challenging budget process” over the coming weeks and months, he said, “We are going to struggle to fund what we currently offer within our existing precept. And I cannot go to the public and ask them to pay more tax to this council so that we can have a snazzy new logo.  

“I can’t justify spending public money on that at a time when we are probably going to have to put their tax up just to be able to continue to deliver what we currently deliver.” 

The town council will formally debate its 2022/23 budget at a meeting accessible to the public, early next year.