Failure of North Wiltshire District Council and Wootton Bassett Chamber of Commerce to honour Partnership Funding CCTV agreements has left a big hole in Wootton Bassett Town Council's budget that will have to be filled by council tax payments.
Residents will have to pick up the tab within the town council component of next year's council tax, with the estimated weekly cost to each household being between 13 and 14 pence.
The increase was recommended by the finance and general purposes committee last Thursday, to the unanimous disappointment of members.
It was resolved to recommend the full council approve a precept of £421,598, rather than the £393,088 which had been anticipated.
"The main reason is that pledges for partnership funding have not been fulfilled," said finance committee chairman Coun Peter Roberts.
He said: "North Wiltshire District Council, which was beating the drum for Partnership funding and CCTV, has just pulled the plug on it, by withdrawing tits pledge of £10,000. The chamber of commerce, which originally pledged a similar sum, is unable to meet that commitment. They paid more than £8,000 in the first year, less than £2,000 last year and this year are paying nothing. Residents will have to foot the bill."
The benefits of CCTV are widely acknowledged, and there will be more cameras in Wootton Bassett soon, thanks to a Home Office grant of £110,000 to extend the scheme.
The town council will be recommended to confirm the budget at its public meeting at 7.30pm on December 13 in the Council Chamber, Civic Centre.
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