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Brading Residents Set For Tax Increase 'To Keep Everything Running'

Seemingly exasperated members of Brading Town Council (c) Pickles Jr

Residents of an Isle of Wight town will have to pay more for services to help “to keep everything running”, a mayor said yesterday.

Mayor Christine Johnson said Brading Town Council expected to get less from County Hall this year so “something” had to be done and the precept would go up.

She told a meeting at the New Town Hall yesterday evening:

“We haven’t raised the precept for some years. I know it’s a very bad year.

“I’m sorry it’ll have to go up but there’s not a lot we can do about it if you want services here to run properly.”

Services Brading Town Council is responsible for include allotments, the management of Beechgrove play area, Bully’s Hill Quarry, Butterfly Walk, the Brading Station and Visitor Centre and the awarding of grants, according to its website.

The authority is also in charge of public toilets in the town’s car park and specific street furniture such as bins, benches and noticeboards.

Town clerk Sue Harbour said:

“When the budget was proposed last year for this year, it worked out on a tax base of 781.10.

“But shortly after that was calculated and submitted to the Isle of Wight Council, a letter came in with confirmation that the final tax base was 777.90.

“So there was a reduction of 5.2 on the previous year. It does put the precept up to a maximum of two percent.”

Brading Town Council’s tax base for 2023 – 24 was 783.10.
 

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