LEOMINSTER taxpayers could see up to a 10 per cent increase in their town council bill next year.

Councillors agreed to start drafting the budget precept for 2019/2020 at a meeting on September 24.

The finance and general purposes committee will be looking at their options for borrowing or raising taxes at the end of the month before a public consultation on the council’s website and their Corn Square offices in November.

Councillor Trish Marsh explained how funding cuts from central government had been passed onto them from Herefordshire Council.

“In the last few years youth funding has been entirely cut by Herefordshire Council and the tourist information centre had been hived off,” she said.

“In 2016/17 we lost a substantial amount of transitional grant, I believe about £23,000.

“In 2017/18 we went down a further £17,000 of transitional grant and this year we are down £10,000 from the lengthsman scheme and next year we are going to be down another £7,000.

“Since 2010 Herefordshire Council have cut their finances by £70m as a result of central government cuts.”

She explained by putting tax up above inflation they could keep local services as they are.

“The stressing reality of this is in order for things to remain the same in Leominster the tax will have to go up because of the cuts,” she said.

“We could look at a 10 per cent increase which in terms of cross would be an extra 28p a week on council tax for a band D property.”

The current monthly council tax charge for band D properties in Leominster for 2018/19 is £134.38.

Coun Clive Thomas said the council found itself between ‘the devil and the deep blue sea’.

“We can’t cut back on what we are already doing and I can foresee a lot more cuts in public transport from the county council,” he said.

“We already support the 490 which is the Ludlow bus and also the one from Bodenham – they would not be running if we hadn’t had put the money in.

“This has been a very proactive town council and let’s continue to be so.

“I’m going to grasp the nettle, so I’d be looking at an increase somewhere in the middle of five and 10 per cent.”