A leading Tory in Trowbridge has strongly criticised the Liberal Democrat-controlled council’s plans to hike council tax by 10.1 per cent next year, saying they lack a clear vision and are ‘gambling’ with the town’s future.
The full council meets on Tuesday (January 17) to approve plans to increase its budget for the next financial year, effective from April.
The town’s element of the council tax is expected to charge a Band D household £220.31 for 2023/24, which represents a 10.1 per cent increase in line with inflation and is equivalent to less than £4.24 per week.
But Conservative town and Wiltshire councillor Antonio Piazza says the council is focusing on ‘pet projects’ such as the £7.5 million Doric Park all-weather pitch to the detriment of upgrading and investing in other services such as replacing the public toilets in the town park.
READ MORE: Town council leader on plans to hike council tax by 10.1 per cent
He said: “Trowbridge Town Council lacks a clear measurable vision of what it wants to deliver for the town.
“The town’s future is being gambled on with this budget because the council lacks governance. We need to know where the red lines are on services and projects instead of just focusing on pet projects to win votes at future elections.
“If you want to know whether that gamble has paid off so far in Trowbridge, just look at the state of the town centre.
“The political leader is insistent on delivering the Doric Park Project but, in the process, neglecting a promise to freeze the precept and now shelving the long-promised public toilet project, which was initially described as a ‘priority’ by the town council last year.”
He says contingency measures on Doric Park if income fails to meet budget forecasts would involve cutting services such as Active Trowbridge, Civic Centre events, grounds maintenance and street cleaning.
“These would be options to repay operational costs and the 50-year loan ranging from a total repayment of £9 million to £12 million, with the current interest rate fluctuating.
“We are also seeing a dependence on vital CIL income gained from thousands of new homes planned to be built in Trowbridge over this period, which the Cabinet Member for Finance, Development Management & Strategic Planning Cllr Nick Botterill has warned us against too.
“You cannot base planned future financial commitments on budgeted receipt of funding gained from housebuilding, especially when Ashton Park and Elm Grove have been delayed multiple times.
“This also removes that vital funding from smaller council projects such as upgrading play areas, park toilets, and the local highway and footway improvement group.”
Cllr Piazza added: “Another concern revolves around our General Reserves being lower than the recommended minimum, removing a safety net for the town council and putting Trowbridge taxpayers at risk.
“Our external auditor has backed up Cllr Edward Kirk and I on this point, stating in the Internal Audit for the year ended March 31 2023: ‘I note the council has regular income from other sources; however, for a council of this size the general reserve is extremely low and the council is in danger of being in financial distress at times during the year (especially before the next tranche of precept is received).
‘Councillors should be reminded that capital monies cannot be used for a revenue purpose and that physical funds in the bank account may not fully represent revenue amounts that can be used on a day-to-day basis’.
“Ultimately, Trowbridge Town Council is gambling with low cash reserves, risking other council services, and even cancelling some smaller projects, just to go all-in and chance one last throw of the dice on Doric Park, a project outside of the parish boundary, located in Hilperton who charge a Band D £14.28 a year against the planned £220.31 for Trowbridge residents.”
