SOMERSET West and Taunton Council’s budget plans for the coming financial year, the last before the creation of a new unitary authority, include proposals to increase council tax by 2.95 per cent - £5 a year on a band D property - it was announced yesterday (Thursday).

This would make a band D charge £174.63 a year for SWT’s share of the overall tax bill received, keep the tax rise below inflation and raise an additional £283,000 in income toward funding council services.

The full council will discuss the proposals on February 24.

An SWT spokesman said: "The draft budget is balanced despite a further reduction of £1.5m in government grant funding and a fall in funding through business rates.

"Despite these challenges we have fully funded spending plans for the year, prioritising services and supporting spending on key projects such as our carbon neutrality and climate resilience action plan for which we will have allocated £1.5m in over three years.

"All five Somerset councils are being asked to contribute to the implementation costs of local government reorganisation in the county. The draft budget includes £1.375m for this purpose and related costs in 2022/23."  

Somerset West and Taunton’s share of the overall council tax bill is nine per cent of the total, with the remainder going to fund Somerset County Council, police and fire services, and town and parish council services.