TOWN councillors in Minehead will be recommended next week to approve a near-22 per cent increase in local council tax bills.

Councillors will agree their budget for the coming financial year when they meet in the Irnham Road Community Centre on Tuesday (January 23).

They will receive a proposal from their finance committee that the budget should increase by 21.9 per cent to nearly £1 million for 2024-25.

But the council came in for criticism from council taxpayers this week for not consulting with residents before making decisions which would mean higher bills for them during a cost of living crisis.

One former resident, Dominic Davidson, said: “The council have shown no sign of even inviting public comment on their proposals before rubber stamping them at committee.

“This will be on top of any council tax increase that Somerset Council have to impose to balance their budget.

“In fairness to Somerset Council they have openly discussed their budget position.”

Mr Davidson said the proposed rise in the council’s budget to £925,642, up from £759,293, was ‘eye watering’.

He said it compared with the current Consumer Price Index of inflation which was running at 3.9 per cent.

Mr Davidson said on social media: “The council have not even invited residents’ comments to gauge the appetite or not for a 21.9 per cent increase in precept, nor, going by minutes at least, given a lower cost budget any serious consideration.

“It should be highlighted that the minutes show no discussion at all of how that precept increase might have been kept to a minimum.

“There are clear opportunities for reducing expenditure or delivering better value.”

Mr Davidson said he accepted the town council might not have the resources for ‘a huge consultation exercise’, but it would have cost little to issue a press release to invite email or letter responses from residents to gauge local opinion.

Council finance committee chairman Cllr Bill Hodson said the proposed budget would mean a 19.9 per cent, or £35.40, increase in the average band D property council tax bill, taking it to £213.14.

Last year, there was no increase in Minehead’s council tax bills, but this time the town authority has had to prepare for the likelihood of taking over services from bankruptcy-threatened Somerset Council.

It has included £75,000 for services which could be devolved to it as the unitary Somerset Council cuts back to balance its own budget, while £50,000 was set aside for the refurbishment of public toilets in Blenheim Gardens, and £20,000 was added to a £219,200 pot for finding new offices for itself.

The proposed budget also included £30,000 which councillors hoped would be enough to clear weeds from every street in Minehead, £20,000 for Christmas lights, and £15,000 for entertainment, which would cover summer band concerts in Blenheim Gardens and the Christmas lights switch-on event.

Minehead Mayor Cllr Craig Palmer said the town council was willing to have ‘a broad discussion’ with the unitary authority over the transfer of assets and services and to identify associated funding opportunities.

Cllr Palmer said: “We wish to explore the role we can play in providing short and long term solutions.

“Our view is that local delivery of services and care of assets can be provided in an agile and responsive system that in turn provides better outcomes for the community.”

However, Cllr Palmer warned there would be ‘financial implications and liabilities’ for Minehead residents if assets were transferred without sufficient funding for them.

He said: “As a responsible town council, we are eager to creatively work to identify practical options to offset Somerset and Minehead costs, while protecting our residents from avoidable precept increases.”