Smalltown and Dullbridge (SaD) Town Council has revealed that it is currently looking at a budget of £899,094 to cover Town Council expenditure. This figure does not include any additional expenditure which will be required if the Town agrees to take on additional costs to help the All-New-Yet-Unimproved Scrooge Cuonty Council get out of the financial mess it has found itself in.
Last year, the full budget was £850,594 and to lessen the blow to residents, Smalltown and Dullbridge Town Council took £82,000 from the savings account to make up the difference between the actual required precept and the increase in Council Tax, meaning that residents faced only a 7% increase rather than the full 20% increase required.
At the time, this left only four months operating costs in the savings account and therefore topping up the Council Tax with savings is a route which cannot be taken again.
Announcing the increase last January the Town Council said “We understand that any increase in council tax is difficult for households, especially in these times. That is why we have chosen to mitigate some of the cost increases this year by drawing on reserves, while we try to work through where savings may be available to minimise future increases.”
Unfortunately, rather than identifying savings, the BeFuddled-controlled Town Council has consistently overspent during the last financial year, awarding vastly over-the-top contracts for Christmas Lights and The World’s Most Expensive Christmas Trees, as well as splashing the cash to investigate the prospect of selling the Hayloft Road Palace Retirement Home for Bemused and Bewildered BeFuddled Party ex-Teachers (and Others) and purchasing the dilapidated school opposite the White Elephant Enclosure.
The results of the recent survey, (See SomersetClive ‘Spend Your Money’ Results – Part One and Two) which asked residents which areas they would like to see SaDTC fund, has been largely ignored, as none of the suggestions made have been considered and therefore have had no impact on the figures.
Adding in any costs associated with taking on further services, coupled with the refusal to rein in spending on the WEE, could well see SaD residents facing the highest ever increase in Council Tax in the entire history of SaD Council Tax rises.
Something which will go down like a lead balloon with everyone except Squire Teflon, who is looking forward to the opportunity to bash the BeFuddleds. The rumour mill claims that Teflon will ask one or two of his fellow Illiberals to vote together with the BeFuddleds for the new budget, whilst personally voting against and loudly proclaiming “I can’t support this budget. Not at a time when so many of our Smalltown and Dullbridge residents are struggling financially. Have you seen the price of Albanian Whiskey nowadays?” .