TOWN councillors in Minehead have been explaining how their new budget from April 1 will continue to protect essential local services while investing in care and improvement of the community.

It is the first full year where the council has responsibility for managing parks and open spaces transferred from Somerset Council last May.

These include well-used areas such as Blenheim Gardens, The Parks, play areas, and the sea front.

Bringing them under local control has allowed the town council to focus on day to day maintenance, safety, and long-term care, helping to keep them welcoming for residents and visitors alike.

The town council also supports local events, youth provision, and community groups which contribute to the life of Minehead.

The new budget will see the average band D household pay an extra £9.72 for the year, about 19p per week.

Minehead Mayor Cllr Craig Palmer said: “This budget is about looking after Minehead, protecting the services people use every day and investing in the spaces that make the town such a great place to live and visit.

“We know people are under pressure from rising costs, so councillors have taken great care to keep the increase as small as possible while still making sure essential services are properly funded.”

Cllr Palmer said all of the money raised through the precept was spent in Minehead, directly supporting services, facilities, and improvements.

He said taking on services no longer provided by Somerset Council had increased costs but it also ensured important local facilities were not lost and that decisions about them were made locally, with ‘a clear understanding of what matters most to the community’.

Many services had seen minimal investment for several years, but now a longer-term view could be taken, including planned upgrades to public toilets in Blenheim Gardens, and wider reinvestment in parks and green spaces.