PERSHORE Town Council is to raise its precept next year by just over three per cent.

Councillors are pleased they have been able to buck the trend by keeping the increase below the present rate of inflation, which currently stands at 3.75 per cent.

It had been anticipated that the current budget of £113,826 would need to increase by more than £13,000 to meet next year's spending requirements.

However, following a meeting of the town's finance and property committee last Thursday, a drastically reduced increase of just £4,214 was announced.

Town mayor Richard Hampton said he was delighted to be able to announce the good news to Pershore ratepayers.

"We had anticipated that we would have to increase the precept to £127,050 but we have been able to reduce that to about £118,000," he said.

He said that the savings had mainly been found thanks to the diligence of councillors.

"For example we needed to replace our Christmas lights this year at a cost of £3,000.

"The mayoress, Val Wood, worked very hard to raise this money with donations from traders in the town.

"It is a good example of how the town council and traders can work together to keep the increases in rates down to below the cost of living."

Other savings were found in the tourism budget and in the projected income from renting rooms in the new town hall.

"Although we have kept our budget at a standstill we will continue to provide all the usual services to the town," added Mr Hampton.

Residents should know more about the overall tax bill for next year after Worcestershire County Council's budget meeting on Friday, December 19.