CORSHAM Town Council has agreed to raise its council precept by 9.9 per cent.

This will mean a £15.22 increase for the average Band D home in the area, putting the total town council precept up from £153.52 to £168.74.

The rise has been caused in part by the council’s preparations to take over services such as grass cutting and street cleaning from Wiltshire Council in the future.

Corsham council will save £20,000 from the £97,296 raised through the precept hike to go towards funding the devolution and asset transfers predicted to begin in 2020.

The town already has over £115,000 in reserves to pay for a range of services that Wiltshire Council will no longer run.

Chair of the Town Council Cllr Steve Abbott said: “The per cent increase seems a massive but it’s actually less than £15 per Band D household.

“The future devolution is another reason for the significant increase.

"It is something that has come out of the blue, although there’s been rumours, for example two years ago when public loos went.”

Cllr Ruth Hopkinson added: “Some of the things that we’ll be looking at being delegated will only have to be paid for once their Wiltshire Council contracts finish, for example grass cutting contracts, so it might be a staggered take over.”

Wiltshire Council plans to devolve services across the county and stated that “the devolution of assets and services to local communities, town and parish councils makes a significant contribution towards enabling them to be stronger, more resilient and sustainable.”

Other town councils have already begun taking over services and residents face larger council tax increases.

Chippenham put precepts up by 37.5 per cent, or an increase of £65.41 a year for a Band D household, as it takes on markets, freehold buildings and litter picking.