THE town council in Tetbury is to increase the tax precept by six percent.

The six percent rise will mean that a band D council tax payer pays £118.66 in the coming financial year instead of £112.29 now, a rise of £6.37 for the year or 53p per month.

The rise, which will not be confirmed until the full council meeting in March, will cover a budget shortfall of £110,000 caused by increased investment in the town.

Of this, £100,000 is carried over from last year’s building and maintenance programme and the grant given towards the redevelopment of the Goods Shed.

The other £10,000 is for a projected increase in next year’s spending.

There will be a £5,800 rise in staff costs, an extra £1,000 for the youth worker grant, £500 toward telephone costs, £500 toward publicity costs and £1,000 toward Christmas in Tetbury.

The council expects to spend £271,755 next year, £258,555 of which will be raised from Tetbury residents through the precept.

The budget update states: “The money will be spent on community support, we have, like we planned, invested in the local community.

“The vitality of the town centre is very important to us and in 2014-2015 we invested approaching £15,000 to promote tourism in the town.

“Visitor numbers continue to increase and we intend to build on our relationships with the town’s traders as a method of protecting employment in the retail and hospitality sectors.”

Last year the town council spent £10,000 on grants for the local community.

This included £5,000 to Dolphins Hall; £1,000 to both the Cotswold Volunteers and Christmas in Tetbury; £500 to the Flower Show, Model Railway Club and Cricket Club; and £486 to the Guides.

Cllr Stephen Hirst, head of the council’s Finance and Scrutiny Committee, said: “Tetbury has a great sense of community comprising many groups and organisations all working their socks off for the town and its residents.

“The Town Council for the third year running will support and invest in the community to encourage and support the town's positive nature ensuring that Tetbury continues to be a great place to live and work.”

Cotswold District Council is planning on cutting council tax by 5% this year in line with government spending cuts while Gloucestershire County Council recently revealed it will be freezing council tax for the fifth year in a row.

Money last year was spent on increased community grants, a better council website and supporting the emerging Tetbury and Tetbury Upton Neighbourhood Development Plan.