Ryde Residents May See Five Per Cent Rise In Council Tax Precept

Ryde residents may see a five per cent rise in their council tax precept.

The finance and community resources committee of Ryde Town Council recommended a £1,813,419 budget plan for 2026/27, ‘Budget Two’, to full council at its Tuesday night meeting (January 27).

The proposals include £13,500 in grants to the community, with £4,000 for Ryde Carnival and £2,000 for the Harp on Wight music event.

Other plans for full council to consider include a £325,886 allocation for the Network Ryde youth service, £168,396 for Ryde Marina and £344,600 on administration.

Committee members also voted to recommend a five per cent precept increase – which works out as £8.94 per year extra for Band D council taxpayers.

Ryde West councillor Lou Temel spoke in favour of Budget Two which he proposed:

“Quite simply it minimises some of the increases and ensures we cut the deficit from £96,000 to £57,000.

“And I think in view of the circumstances of some people in Ryde, that might be very welcome.”

Cllr Malcolm Ross, who represents Haylands and Swanmore, said:

“If you examine what we’ve got in Ryde, I think we’re in a happy place – happy for our residents that the council has managed to do all the things we are doing.”

Ryde South East councillor Jen Hughes said:

“I’m for Budget Two because I think one of the priorities we should have is to keep the precept increase relatively low.

“I don’t know if everybody’s looked at their water bills – ours has just doubled. I think it would be best if we kept that as low as we possibly could.”

Ryde Appley and Elmfield councillor Michael Lilley said he would be supporting Cllr Temel’s budget proposal and added that there was room to make savings efficiencies over the year.

Ryde’s full council will meet on February 3 at 11 St Thomas’ Square at 7pm.