A HISTORIC cottage could hold the key to avoiding an increase in Council Tax for villagers.

Residents in Cleobury Mortimer are facing an extra £30 on their bill if they vote not to sell the cottage next to the parish hall.

The move stems from a cash crisis facing Cleobury Mortimer Parish Council after a project - to refurbish the market hall in the town - fell short of cash.

Although the hall is completed and open, a final payment of £55,000 still needs to be made to contractors R Drinkwater and Sons.

To settle the bill the parish council has appealed to South Shropshire District Council for the money - but needs to come up with a reason to convince members the cash will be paid back.

Now the village is faced with a choice - sell the 100-year-old cottage and quickly pay the district council back or vote to keep it and suffer an extra £15 on Council Tax bills for two years, until the money is paid off.

Parish council chairman Don Griffiths - who was elected for the first time in May - has stressed the council is against putting up rates and urged villagers to vote to sell the cottage, which belongs to the community.

However, he said he felt public sentiment was against the sale - expected to generate £130,000 - following a public meeting held in the village last month. Villagers have until September 4 to make a decision as the loan is expected to be given the green light at the full meeting of the district council.

Leader of the district council Heather Kidd said: "It's a bit of a mess but I can't see any reason why the loan won't go through.

"They need to get through their own political battling to find a way of getting the money back to us."