DURING a recent town council meeting, councillors from Liskeard have agreed the gross budget and precept for the next financial year. 

It has been announced that the gross budget for the town will total £765,497 for the 2024/25 financial year. 

Of this, £605,197 will be raised by the precept – this is the town council’s share of the council tax collected by Cornwall Council. 

The balance is funded from income such as rents and charges at the Public Hall and Guildhall, and use of reserves for capital projects. 

A spokesperson from the council explained: “This will allow your council to continue to deliver services such as the parks, public toilets and Town CCTV.

 “This is as well as providing grants to local organisations and events, maintaining the museum and information centre, undertake urgent repairs to the Public Hall and the Guildhall which have been delayed for the past few years, the acquisition of land for the provision of much needed sports pitches and a long awaited upgrade of the park facilities at Rapson’s Park. 

“This will mean an increase of £23.67 a year for a Band D property and for comparison an increase of £15.78 a year for a Band A property. 

“For the past four years Liskeard town council has remained one of the lowest costing town councils in Cornwall, and even with this slight increase will still remain amongst the very lowest.” 

The mayor of Liskeard, Cllr Simon Cassidy, added: “No one wants to see rises in their monthly outgoings and that is why we have kept our costs to the bare minimum over the last four years. 

“Unfortunately, this year we are faced with some urgent work that needs to be undertaken across our estate, and a number of upgrades that are key to improving our town. 

“However, with this in mind we have still managed to keep the cost to the taxpayer amongst the very lowest in Cornwall.”