A MOTION to raise the council tax precept by ‘less than a pint of beer’ was voted down at a meeting of Carmarthen Town Council on Wednesday (Jan 27).
Labour Councillor Phil Grice suggested that the council had ‘got into the habit’ of not increasing the precept.
He explained that the council had previously made savings six or seven years ago, which had amounted to around £21,000 per year. However, he claimed, inflation meant that these savings were being eroded.
Cllr Grice suggested that an increase of 25 pence per year would raise an extra £11,000 per year, which would help achieve some of the aims of a recent management review, including work on a lift at St Peter’s Civic Hall.
He claimed that this increase ‘might buy you a pint of beer in Wetherspoons’.
He was supported by Councillor Doug Rose, who suggested that rather than being a ‘stand-still budget,’ what was proposed was an ‘austerity budget’ similar to that imposed by the Westminster Conservative Government. Giving the example of Dr Mz, he claimed that the ‘cuts’ were having a visible effect’ on community groups.
This was refuted strongly by Councillor Alun Lenny, who pointed out that due to the construction of new houses, more council tax was being paid without the need for a raise.
Cllr Lenny said that he was ‘amazed’ that the Labour group would suggest ‘dipping into people’s pockets’ during a ‘time of austerity’.
He also suggested that while the council was in a ‘comfortable’ financial position, there was no need to increase the precept.
Cllr Grice’s motion was voted down by 9-3. A motion to approve the budget as it stood was approved by the majority.
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