This 3.19% increase can be compared to the 6% rise in the Police budget and 4.99% for County – Owl

The average East Devon household will have to fork out an extra £5 a year for the district council’s slice of their overall council tax bills.

East Devon Reporter eastdevonnews.co.uk 

The authority has agreed a 3.19 per cent increase it says will balance its budget, protect frontline services and ‘help with the inflationary pressures’.

Some of the cash will be used to provide extra support will also be given to the leisure sector.

East Devon District Council (EDDC) provides services including rubbish and recycling collection, maintaining parks and open spaces, and leisure centres.

EDDC takes seven pence in every pound from residents’ overall council tax bills.

The rest is made up of contributions to police and fire services and county, town and parish authorities.

Councillor Jack Rowland, EDDC portfolio holder for finance said: “Whilst any increase in the EDDC element of council tax is regrettable in the current inflationary period, the increase is 3.19 per cent and £5 per annum for the average Band D rate payer.

“That is less than a 10p per week increase and despite, in real terms, losing over £50million over the last decade in central government grants, this EDDC budget for 2023/24 is providing the required balanced budget required by law as well as preserving services.

“For 2023/24 the average Band D ratepayer will be paying £161.78 per annum to EDDC, which is equivalent to just over £3 per week for services such as the waste and recycling collections, the StreetScene service in maintaining many parks and open spaces, the contract with LED Community Leisure to operate the swimming pools, gymnasiums and other sport and leisure activities in the district as just a few examples of the services provided by EDDC.”