Exmouth Town Council has voted to increase its precept for 2024/25, households in Exmouth will see an average of £8.41 added to their annual council tax bill.

Exmouth Town Councillors voted to support these modest increases at a Council meeting on January 22.

The Town council’s budget covers other services such as highways grass cutting, roundabout planting and bus shelter maintenance - functions it has taken on in recent years as a result of cuts by higher level authorities.

The council also provides a beach wheelchair service from a purpose-built unit on Exmouth seafront, subsidises the running of the 99E bus service and contributes towards the running costs of the Devon Air Ambulance night landing site at Exmouth Football Club.

They also support many of the town’s grassroots community organisations with annual grant funding, including: Open Door, Exmouth Town Concert Band, Exmouth in Bloom, East Devon Citizen’s Advice, Exmouth and District Community Transport, the National Coastwatch Institution and Exmouth Beach Rescue.

Full details of the Town Council’s budget can be found on its website

Chairman of the council, Councillor Olly Davey, introduced the changes in its share of Council Tax by saying: “Exmouth Town Council has had to raise its precept in order to keep pace with expenditure demands. The Council undertook a thorough scrutiny and review of expenses and made reductions where possible. As a result, the average increase of less than a pound a month per household, was deemed to be necessary by the Council in order to maintain services. We, as a Council, are not immune from those charges levied by utility companies, cost-of-living charges and increased running costs for the physical assets we own and manage such as the Tourist Information Office, Gorfin Hall, the Jubilee Clock Tower, the seafront festoon lights and public realm CCTV."

Councillors were particularly keen to retain and grow popular, free-to-attend, events such as Exmouth Festival and the Winter Lantern Parade, which are well supported by residents and attract visitors to the Town, thereby boosting the local economy.

Councillor Olly Davey concluded: “Exmouth Town Council has raised its precept this year for the first time in many years. It is still a very small proportion of householders' overall Council tax bills. We have exciting plans looking forward, and this will enable us to deliver even more for the people of Exmouth, helping to make our town more attractive, resilient and sustainable. I am sure that residents and visitors alike appreciate the effort that goes in to making the Town vibrant and attractive, even without knowing all the work that goes on behind the scenes.”