A Tory town councillor in Trowbridge has strongly condemned plans by the ruling Liberal Democrat group to raise its share of the Wiltshire council tax by more than 20 per cent.

Trowbridge Town Council leader Stewart Palmen outlined proposals to raise its council tax share – or ‘precept’ – by more than 20 per cent in April.

He says the likely rise in the town’s precept has been driven by the cost of taking over street cleaning, grass cutting and the Down Cemetery from Wiltshire Council, plus sharp rises in costs, particularly for electricity and gas.

If the draft plans are adopted, then a household in Council Tax Band D would see the tax paid to Trowbridge Town Council rise from around £220 per year this year to nearly £270 in 2024-25. 

Cllr Palmen says the increase will amount to less than £1 per week, around the cost of a pint of milk.

He added: “I think people in Trowbridge realise that you get what you pay for. This tax is an investment in Trowbridge’s future.

“But there’s an election in 2025 when people can show whether they want to cut taxes and services or support investing in our town.”  

But Conservative councillor Antonio Piazza has criticised the move.

“At the time of calling the referendum with residents, I was shouted down by my fellow councillors. They all laughed at me. Well, they're not laughing now," he said.

“Only several months ago, I aimed to shield our community from the financial imprudence of those at the helm.

“This isn't just about balancing books; it's about standing up against the kind of top-down governance that disregards the very people it's supposed to serve."

In the summer Cllr Piazza arranged a town referendum at a cost of £24,396 to limit the council tax increase to just three per cent when 10 per cent was proposed last year, has 

The move was labelled a waste of money as the result was not binding, as only 1.6 per cent of the 27,436 people eligible actually voted.

But he added that the total amount raised from council tax this year would increase by £601,402 to £3,216,665.

“It's absolutely clear that Trowbridge Town Council, under its current leadership, is prioritising grandiose vanity projects and excess over the financial wellbeing of its residents," he said.

“In times when ordinary people are struggling with soaring energy bills and the cost-of-living crisis, it's frankly irresponsible to impose such significant tax increases for what are essentially non-essential services.

“These councillors should step aside, allow new blood to come in, and give those of us who are willing to carry out a democratic mandate the freedom to do so, because it is quite evident that they have absolutely no idea what they are doing.”