Nailsea Town Council sets half a million pound budget

Nailsea Town Council is to spend nearly half a million in the next financial year.

It has set its precept for 2013-14 at £457,606 which is £77.61 for council tax Band D.

This is a slight increase in its precept for 2012-13 which was £444,261.

In 2012-13 the average Band D property in North Somerset paid £1,146.40 for council services which was the same as the previous financial year.

North Somerset Council has an annual budget of £422m and employs 6,785 people including school staff.

Nailsea Town Council is based at the restored Tithe Barn at St Mary's Grove.

It moved from its town centre home at Church House in May 2011 after contributing towards the renovation of the historic barn.

It has 20 unpaid councillors whose responsibilities include the maintainance of sports fields and the Garden of Rest at Stockway North.

It also runs the monthly farmers and craft markets, makes recommendations on planning applications to North Somerset Council and gives grants to a number of local organisations.

It has been in the forefront of planning a future strategy for limited growth in the town and liaised with protest groups and energy giants in the pylon row.

The town council is currently trying to takeover the district council owned car parks to stop parking fees being introduced in Nailsea.

Nailsea Town Council has three office staff including a town clerk and it also employs a town orderly who can be seen out and about with a decorated mobile cart full of brooms, buckets and brushes.

The district council has responsibility for planning, waste management highways, public rights of way and planning.