New Milton council tax precept 2025/26: Town residents to pay 8% more for services

RESIDENTS face an 8% hike in New Milton’s council tax share, described by the mayor as “reasonable” in the current financial climate.

Approved at Monday’s full town council meeting, the authority’s share of council tax for an average band D household for 2025/26 will rise by £10.21 from last year’s £124.81 to £135.02 – equating to a total of just under £2.60 per week.

This comes after last year’s precept went up from 2023/24’s £117.31 per band D household.

The town council’s total budget for 2025/26 will be £1.45m – up from the previous year’s £1.36m.

Mayor and council chair Cllr Alvin Reid told the meeting: “In light of everything going on around us, including inflation rises, that is a reasonable increase.”

The precept and budget decision had been deferred from January’s full council meeting as members discussed a potential land purchase bid.

As reported in the A&T, submitted a maximum offer of £600,000 for Robins Nest, a bungalow on five acres of land to create extra playing fields next to the town’s cricket club.

The purchase was to have been funded by a PWLB (Public Works Loan Board) as appropriate, which may have affected the precept.

But the council recently learned it had been outbid for the site, off Fernhill Lane, listed by Woolley & Wallis with a guide price of £895,000.

The Salisbury-based auctioneers promote the property as in need of refurbishment or replacing.

The surrounding land, described as “pretty”, includes paddocks and several outbuildings “in varying degrees of disrepair”.

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