Council tax to rise in Bridport (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Council tax to rise in Bridport

11:00am Thursday 7th February 2013 in News

COUNCIL tax in Bridport is to rise – but most households will only pay an extra 24p a week.

At a meeting of the full council last week town councillors reluctantly voted to increase the bills by nearly 12 per cent after a government shake-up in the way council tax is worked left Bridport worse off.

The Band D charge would increase by £15.86 from £132.94 to £148.80 for 2013 to 2014.

Coun David Tett said the increase would produce a balanced budget. He said: “But I appreciate the difficulties of some townspeople, some even have a problem finding money for food let alone for their council tax.”

Coun Maggie Ray said it was ‘absolutely disgraceful’ the way Bridport had been short-changed by West Dorset District Council’s grant allocation.

She said: “We should not be cutting our services. We have a track record of delivering projects and we can do it more economically and attract grants and therefore we are able to do more for less.”

Coun Ros Kayes said she would have to abstain from voting because for some people the increase would be the final straw.

Coun Dave Rickard said in Bridport 26.8 per cent of houses were in band A, 28.9 per cent in band D, 20.4 per cent in band C.

He said: “This means 75 per cent of houses in Bridport will actually not be even paying the 31 pence a week increase but an average of 24 pence, so it is not as bad as it looks.”