Lymington and Pennington Town Council set to hike share of council tax by nearly 10%

LYMINGTON residents can expect to see their tax bills rise over the next few years as the town council looks set to increase its precept charge.

Market traders should also prepare to see pitch fees increase, while allotment owners and sea bath users were also warned to expect hikes.

The town council is expected to increase adult sports pitch fees while it budgets for new vehicles and plant machinery, new cricket nets and the Bath Road playground redevelopment.

At a recent meeting of Lymington & Pennington Town Council’s policy and resources committee, members heard it had been a “difficult year” for setting the authority’s 2024/25 budget and precept, which will happen on 10th January at full council.

Members heard approving a budget of £973,189 for next year would mean increasing the average band D property charge to £129.25 per year from its current rate of £117.69 – a rise of 9.82%

Finance officer Sue Finnimore told committee members: “I don’t think there is anybody who has not been affected by rising costs. At the council we have had to deal with things going wrong and breaking, as everyone does, and that has also had an impact on our budget.

“Today, we’re trying to keep the increase in the precept down in order to decrease the impact on local residents, without leaving ourselves short later on.”

She added: “To try to keep this year’s precept increase to a lower level we’re drawing on savings, but this is not sustainable in the longer term.

“In future years it is likely there will be a need for further increases to the precept.”

Cllr Jacqui England told the committee she would “not be comfortable” seeing the council’s precept charge rise by 10%, while Cllr Tom Brindley asked if the authority could conduct a risk analysis of “where the reserves should be”.

Town clerk Louise Young said it would be difficult to provide that analysis before the full council meeting.

Ms Finnimore told Cllr Brindley the authority’s current general reserves will fall from £385,000 to £329,000 by the end of 2024, adding the Covid pandemic had presented a “major replanning exercise”.

Committee chair Cllr Simon Morgan said he was inspired to go along with Cllr Brindley’s idea, adding that a “very simplistic analysis [for next year] would not be a bad idea”.

Discussing proposed fee increases for market traders, Cllr England said she has talked to stallholders who are “happy at the moment but (who) would like to see more footfall”.

She asked: “If their rates have to go up, could we see a greater marketing or PR campaign for them from the council?”

Cllr Brindley supported increasing allotment charges in line with the Retail Price Index, adding: “The effect of that on one year’s budget may be insignificant, but over time it would be significant.”

Cllr England disagreed with Cllr Brindley’s position, saying it would be “detrimental to what the council is providing”.

Cllr Morgan said he sympathised with Cllr England’s position, and was inclined to keep allotment charges at their current level. He added, however, that the proposed increases would be something to “keep in mind” for the future.

Committee members voted to recommend a budget of £973,189, including approving transfers from its reserves, for 2024/25 to the full council. The committee also approved recommending an increase in fees and charges for multiple services, including an increase for traders of 10p per foot in 2024/25 and then a further 15p per foot in 2025/26.