A 'pointless' poll on whether to cap council tax increases in Trowbridge attracted fewer than 450 voters.

The non-binding local referendum in Trowbridge aimed to limit future precept tax rises by the town council to just three per cent.

The poll on Tuesday was called by residents at the council’s annual meeting in April and follows a backlash to its 10 per cent tax rise this year.

But town clerk and the council’s chief executive Lance Allan confirmed the result won't be binding as just 1.6 per cent of the 27,436 people eligible to vote actually voted.

Of the 436 people who did, 384 were in favour of capping the precept and 52 were against - an 88 per cent majority.

It is not yet clear how much the poll cost to run, but it is thought to be between £20,000 and £30,000.

Wiltshire Times: A steady stream of residents go into The Civic Centre to vote in the Trowbridge Parish Poll. Photo: Trevor Porter 69886-3A steady stream of residents go into The Civic Centre to vote in the Trowbridge Parish Poll. Photo: Trevor Porter 69886-3 (Image: Trevor Porter)

The Liberal Democrats who run the council described the ‘pointless poll’ as 'ideological vandalism' as it is purely advisory and is not binding.

Cllr Stewart Palmen, the Trowbridge Town Council leader, said: "Tuesday night's parish poll was a farce costing the Trowbridge tax payer over £30,000 and to find out what? That tax payers would prefer that their council tax did not go up too much. Well, I hate to say it but we already knew that!

“Despite articles in the local press and the BBC together with local leafleting the turnout was only 1.6 per cent of the Trowbridge voting population, reflecting that most people had worked out that this poll was a waste of time and effort for all concerned.

“Trowbridge Town Council will continue to offer value for money to the local tax payer offering a wider range of services that other comparable town councils in order to make Trowbridge greener, more vibrant and more active as we have promised the good people of Trowbridge.”

Conservative town councillor Antonio Piazza had called for the poll, saying future increases in the local precept should be capped to just three per cent.

Voters were asked on the ballot paper: "Do you support a 3 per cent cap on future increases in Trowbridge Town Council's precept and a parish poll consultation if any proposed increase is larger than 3 per cent?"

After the poll, Cllr Piazza said: “Extremely pleased to announce #VoteYes has won the referendum. Thankyou to everyone who supported this campaign. It is a real testimony for local democracy."

He said that although the turnout was low, "a win is a win" and Trowbridge Town Council must now respect the result of the referendum.

“Turnout is down to publicity," he aid. "The result must be respected. We will have our three per cent cap.”

Trowbridge Town Council increased its share of the Wiltshire council tax by 10.1 per cent this spring – a rise of around £20 per year for an average Band D household.

The council said the increase was needed to fund services such as grass cutting, parks maintenance and street cleaning being transferred from Wiltshire Council on April 1.

But South West Wiltshire's Conservative MP, Dr Andrew Murrison, backed the referendum and accused the council of "fiscal incontinence".

He added: "Trowbridge Town Council needs to focus on getting the basics right rather than spending its £2.6m budget on pet projects and then demanding even more from those it's meant to be serving.”

A similar parish poll held recently on the tax rises at Salisbury City Council saw only 992 of the city's potential 30,663 actually vote. The cost has not yet been disclosed.