RESIDENTS in Shaftesbury will see an increase in council tax after councillors agreed the budget for the next financial year.

At a full council meeting yesterday (January 20), Shaftesbury Town Council set a precept of £875,002 for 2026/27.

For a Band D household, this means £247.33 of the annual council tax bill will go to the town council – an increase of £27.66 on last year, or around 53p a week.

Charges for other council tax bands will rise proportionally, with any discounts or exemptions applied through Dorset Council still affecting individual bills.

The precept funds a wide range of services and facilities, many of which are used daily by residents and visitors.

These include public toilets, bins, benches, bus shelters and street cleaning, as well as parks and open spaces such as Park Walk and Castle Hill, seven play areas, allotments and the cemetery.

The council also runs the Coppice Street and Barton Hill car parks, the weekly Thursday market, civic events, weddings and Christmas lights, and has a role in planning matters.

In addition, the town council is responsible for major community assets including Shaftesbury Lido, war memorials, the Town Hall and the forthcoming Mampitts Community Hub.

Mayor and chair of the council, Cllr Virginia Edwyn-Jones, said councillors had given the decision careful thought.

“Every year we have to look at the council’s budget and consider how to approach the following financial year… always acutely aware of the very real pressures on all our pockets in the current economic climate,” she said.

“The increase we have voted for will protect our day-to-day services and still allow us to carry out key projects and plan for future improvements to our town’s facilities without being wasteful.”

The council says the agreed budget will help maintain services, invest in facilities and ensure long-term financial resilience.