Wilmslow Town Council Precept set to rise by 50%

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Wilmslow Town Council has now set its precept for the financial year 2025-2026 which represents a 50% increase on last year.

Formed in 2011, Wilmslow Town Council oversees facilities and services that aim to contribute to the community and identity of Wilmslow, such as the town's floral planters, community grants, Wilmslow's Christmas lights and local events such as Cinema on the Carrs, the Remembrance Sunday parade and the Wilmslow Christmas lights switch-on event.

Residents provide its funding through the 'precept', an additional payment highlighted on the annual council tax bill issued by Cheshire East Council every March.

When Wilmslow Town Council was formed thirteen years ago, the 'precept' payment for a typical band 'D' property was set at £21.47 per year. This figure rose in 2017-2018 to £27.45, to reflect falling reserves and higher costs over the preceding six years. This figure remained broadly static for seven years until it rose to £37.31 last year.

At its budget meeting in December 2024, the Town Council considered its income and expenditure for the next financial year (2025-2026) alongside its aspirations and financial reserves, before setting its precept request of £683,295, equating to a band 'D' property charge of £55.93 per year.

This represents a 50% increase - residents will pay extra £18.62 on top of last year's figure of £37.31.

It was agreed by the Town Council that the net expenditure budget increase for 2025.26 should be funded by a mixture a precept increase ( £231,368) and from Town Council reserves (£266,801)

In setting its priorities for 2025-2026, the Town Council gave regard to both its own aspirations and its likely role in continuing to work with Cheshire East Council to protect local services for the people of Wilmslow.

The following new initiatives were provided for within the expenditure budget for the year 2025-26. Each project will be considered on merit when proposals are formulated:

  • Employment of additional staff to support Community Groups and volunteers, to deliver events and to manage our aspirations for enhancing the maintenance of communal spaces, such as streets, squares, green spaces and pedestrian areas (c£105k)
  • Enhanced Ranger service (c£23k)
  • Town Signage and lighting (c£78k)
  • Youth Projects and infrastructure (c£46k)
  • Grove Street improvements (c£80k)
  • South Drive Toilet Block recommissioning and developing (c£30K)
  • Supporting CEC services including to refurbish Romany's Garden (c£40k)
  • Queen Elizabeth II Memorial (c£35k)
  • Neighbourhood Plan implementation (c£80k)

Wilmslow Town Mayor, Councillor Tim Higgins, said, "Wilmslow Town Council's services, and its role in building our community, make a real difference to local people.

"The Town Council also plays an important role in providing services that complement the much wider range of high-profile services provided by Cheshire East Council.

"The Town Councillors have ideas that will positively impact Wilmslow residents, but that will inevitably have a cost.

"Likewise, the continuing financial pressures that we see at Cheshire East Council are likely to further impact Wilmslow Town Council as we endeavour to protect services important to Wilmslow and its residents such as the valued library and Leisure Centre services, and the CCTV service that the Town Council has already been supporting for a number of years.

"The Town Council is aware of the financial pressures faced by many families but feel that an increase of £18.62 per year for an average band D property, continues to constitute good value when compared to the national average of £85.89 and will ensure that the council can fulfil and enhance its role in 2025 and beyond."

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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Pete Wright
Thursday 30th January 2025 at 4:35 pm
It's hard to know quite where to start with these "initatives" which come hot on the heels of CEC applying to increase council tax by 10%, double the government limit.
Cheshire East and Wilmslow Councils have either developed a sense of humour or they're simply trolling residents.
Richard Mason
Friday 31st January 2025 at 12:43 pm
While I was out this morning enjoying the apricity I was thinking about our town - what we have got, what we haven't got and what I think we should have. I don't really have a problem with the "initiatives" listed above - given we all moan about Grove Street, the town looks a mess so a ranger clean-up would help, Chapel Lane has become an apparent no-go-zone due to hordes of marauding teenagers so promoting youth activities is good and having a toilet block more like the Carrs but in the town seems sensible (if that is what is proposed).
But, what are we missing? Well, on the subject of the Carrs and my enjoyment of the brief sunshine, it's getting to that time of year when the crowds come and cause havoc - what is the solution given that this has been raised for the past few years with promises of "it'll never happen again" yet it does and nothing seems to change. There is no mention of that in the "initiatives"
Personally, I would be happy to pay a bit more if we could take steps to prevent the parking on the pavement and elsewhere, which leads to Cliff Road getting blocked, stop the horrendous littering and abuse of the toilets when there are large gatherings there, and maintain the beautiful space for everyone to enjoy.
Maybe we should all write to our MP, Mayor, Councillors, Police & Crime Commissioner, and Head of CEC to ask them what they are doing to prevent us from having the annual repeat of chaos at the Persian New Year.
Vince Chadwick
Sunday 2nd February 2025 at 2:41 pm
Apricity - one of those wonderfully descriptive but little known English words that enrich our language (it means 'the warmth of the sun in winter').

Thank you for reminding me of it, Richard. I shall be on the lookout now for opportunities to use it myself!
Barry Buxton
Wednesday 5th February 2025 at 6:27 pm
This percentage increase is a total disgrace! It's a cynical exploitation of not being regulated by government, of being beholden to CEC who dump cost responsibilities on them, and thinking they can get away with it because Wilmslow residents are too apathetic to complain. This council's existence, voted for by a small minority back in the day, should never have been legitimised.

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