Banbury Town Council freezes tax charge

The council's offices are in the town hall

For the tenth year running the council will not increase its share of the council tax bill.

The town’s charge will stay at £122.12 a year for Band D properties – a figure that has not changed since 2010.

At the council’s annual budget meeting on Tuesday, January 14, leader of the council Cllr Kieron Mallon said: “The only thing that’s going up this year is the quality of our services.”

“In addition to providing a café and toilets in People’s Park we will spend close to half a million pounds on refurbishing and updating play areas, parks and sports fields.

“This year work totalling £130,000 will be carried out at Stanbridge, Hill View, and Ferriston play areas. Another £50,000 will go on phase two of the improvements to footpaths in People’s Park – and landscaping at the community garden at the park is estimated at £90,000 with CCTV for the new toilets costing £6,500.

“£150,000 is being earmarked for the creation of sports facilities at Spital Farm playing fields.”

Cllr Mallon said the council was looking to deliver a higher quality of service regarding the maintenance and upkeep of cemeteries and sports fields by taking those operations ‘in-house.’

He added: : “It is an investment that will give us greater control over the quality of the work done in those areas.

“It is an ambitious programme but it’s what we are here to do.”

Banbury’s tax precept is the equivalent of £2.35 per week.