Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

The WC budget setting meeting was held yesterday.

As expected, the budget was adopted without alteration.

The WC precept will increase by 4.5% for 2025/26.  The administration decided that it could save residents 0.5% (about 20p a week for a Band D property) this year.

Whether this being an election year has made any difference, I don't know.  However, it will be tricky to claim in future that the government is under-funding WC when it seems not to need the money that can be levied on residents.

The HPC precept reduced by about 1.5% due to the slight increase in house numbers (same financial amount as 2024/25 but divided between more properties).