COUNCILLORS in Callington and Kelly Bray have agreed to a small increase in the town’s tax in order to cover unavoidable increases in costs.

Members of Callington Town Council voted unanimously to agree an increase of 2.3% on the precept (the part of Council Tax that goes to local councils).

This will equate to an annual increase of £5.52 or just over 10p a week for a Band D property. The precept was set at £240.18 per Band D household for the 2022-23 year and these households will pay £245.70 in the coming financial year.

The increase of just under £25,000 overall will cover a £20k rise in council salaries, national insurance and pensions, plus a £4,906 Cost of Living Budget.

A spokesperson for the Town Council said: “It has been an extremely difficult task this year to manage the unavoidable pressures on the budget this coming year, but we have worked tirelessly to keep the rise to an absolute minimum while still retaining services.

“Efficiencies across all committees have been tasked in order to keep the overall precept to an affordable level to the public.”

No specific plans for the Cost of Living budget had yet been decided, said the Council, but it had been agreed by everyone that such a provision be in place, should demands be put on the Council to help the Parish.

The Council noted that an increase in the number of houses on the Council Tax register had helped provide some additional finances to reduce a little of the pressure on the Town Council budget.