Radstock Town Council has set its budget part of the council tax - deciding unanimously to put the lowest possible increase.

Councillors were given a detailed breakdown of two possible options for setting the council tax.

They were told that a 1.5 % increase, which was later agreed, meant for a Band D household would see an annual charge of £156.62, or an annual increase of £2.31 (19.25p per month).

The council has a history of keeping the annual rise at zero, but while councillors were told that the number of homes in Radstock has increased, so income has also gone up, so have expenditures.

During the debate Cllr Bruce Shearn insisted: " We are heading into a very difficult time for people. Anything we can do to keep the bills down for people, we should do so."

Councillors were offered a financial break down of two options, 1.5 % and 3 %.

Cllr Chris Dando explained what each figure would equate to and added: " It seems likely that B&NES will be asking for the maximum increase of 4.5%, we know already that the police authority is asking for a 5.8 per cent (increase) and it would seem that the fire authority will put in something similar."

The council will be using its reserves and some of any community infrastructure levy (CiL) money to keep the expenditures down.

The decision to put the precept at 1.5% which will now be incorporated into the overall B&NES budget, was agreed unanimously.

In other news from the Radstock Town Council meeting on January 19.

The council agreed to support the new campaign to try and make the Tyning Inn into an Asset of Community Value. This would award the building a special protective status and could mean that should it be sold, the local community would have the first option to buy it for community use.

Councillors heard that it was a great shame that no one had come forward to take the Inn. You can read more about it HERE: particularly as the redevelopment of the adjacent Walnut Buildings moves ahead

Councillors said it would be a "tragedy" if the building was simply converted into flats.

Radstock Town Council was keen to stress that the decision would not necessarily mean any financial support for the campaign to keep the building in community hands. Cllr Chris Dando adding: " We can take a lead on this but we can't save every building in Radstock."

Finally, the WECA plans for a super highway corridor between Bristol and Bath was widely criticised for not addressing any issues for Radstock. The Mayor Cllr Rupert Bevan has written about his dismay of the news that the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) will receive £540 m to spend on three projects, one of which is improvements to the A37/A367 corridor. You can read that column HERE: the Radstock Nub News site

" Radstock is too far from the centre of gravity to be considered important to him, " one councillor complained.

Radstock Town Council has agreed to invite the WECA Mayor Dan Norris to the town to talk about better transport, better bus services and some practical help for the town.