Whitby Town Council annual budget set to increase to almost £500,000

A draft budget prepared by Whitby Town Council is projecting that its annual budget for 2023/24 will rise to £487,110.

The town council’s budget for the current 2022/23 year is £412,935, of which large portions were spent on staffing, events, repair works and other costs.

The draft budget, which was discussed on December 6 at a meeting of Whitby Town Council’s Finance Policy and General Purposes Committee, states that £216,000 was set aside in this year’s budget for staffing costs while the figure is set to increase to £246,000 next year.

The draft budget will also be discussed and voted on at a full session of the town council on January 10, 2023, before it becomes official.

According to council documents, other sources of considerable expenditure include the Christmas festival at £50,000, water charges for public conveniences at £15,000, and a further £15,000 for Christmas lights.

However, the budget also includes sources of income, which states that the town council would receive £50,000 from the Christmas festival as well as £45,000 from public toilets.

A report for the finance policy committee states: “Two significant growth items arising from decisions of the council are included: a budget to progress a Neighbourhood Plan for Whitby and a budget to prepare a response to any engagement with the unitary authority over asset and service transfer and in the development of community networking and other engagement.”

Scarborough Council has said that the creation of a neighbourhood plan for Whitby – which would increase local decision-making on issues such as planning – would require a referendum.

Holding such a referendum could up to £20,000 although some financial support is due from the Government.

The draft budget states that £15,000 should be allocated to the creation of a neighbourhood plan, while an income of £10,000 is also envisaged for the plan, most likely from Government support.

The report also predicts a rise in council tax.

It states: “The draft budget is predicated on an annual rise in the Band D equivalent council tax of £10.00 (19p per week)”.

As of April 2023, council tax across North Yorkshire will be determined by the new North Yorkshire Council.