WEYMOUTH Town Council is to increase its council tax precept by around 10 pence per week from April.

At a Full Council meeting this week Weymouth Town Council agreed to increase its precept by three per cent for the coming 2023/24 financial year.

The council said it recognises that residents are facing difficult times and has tried to keep the rise as low as possible.

Households in Band D properties will pay £181.70 - an extra £5.29 compared to last year's bill - or 10 pence per week.

The majority of Weymouth properties fall into council tax bands A – C however, and will therefore see a smaller increase.

The overall yearly council tax rates are set by Dorset Council, which collects the tax. Police and fire services, and town and parish councils claim an additional precept.

Weymouth Town Council’s precept is used to maintain local services including parks, gardens, open spaces, cemeteries, allotments, beach, and town centre work. 

The town council said it will spend £4,238,700 million in Weymouth over the coming year. The budgets are financed through a combination of trading income, service fees and charges, and the council tax precept.    

Councillor David Gray, chairman of Weymouth Town Council’s finance and governance committee, which considered the draft proposals in December, said: “We recognise these are extremely difficult times for residents which is why we have tried to keep the increase in the precept for the coming year as low as possible.

“This will ensure we can meet the challenges in the coming year – including inflation which currently stands at over nine per cent – and protect the wide range of services the town council looks after such as the beach and Promenade, parks, gardens, events, public toilets, play areas, community grants, and allotments.” 

As reported, unitary authority Dorset Council is proposing to increase council tax across the county by just under two per cent with a further adult social care precept of two per cent - equivalent to £1.41 extra per week for a Band D property.