FROME residents will pay an extra 6.8% for the town council share of their council tax bill, it has been decided.

Frome Town Council (FTC) has agreed its budget for the 2026/27 financial year, with members backing plans for the increase in a bid to address residents’ priorities.

The council said rise means 89% of residents will see their council tax bill rise by an average of 32p per week to pay for the town council services, bringing the total cost to around £5 per week.

Leader and chair of FTC, Cllr Fiona Barrows, said: “We know how tough things are for many people right now, and we don’t take any increase lightly.

“We have gone through every single line of this budget with real care, knowing that residents are under real pressure. There have been detailed discussions about areas of work and every pound we are proposing to spend.

“We have done everything we can to keep our costs down – budgeting carefully, responsibly, and compassionately – with the long-term interests of Frome in mind.”

She said the council believes it represents “good value for money for the town”, and added: “We keep our investment local, and we use it to support the people, places and opportunities that make Frome what it is.

“This budget is about maintaining what works, stepping up where it’s needed, and continuing to invest in our community in a way that is practical, responsible and rooted in the priorities our residents have helped shape.”

Part of the reason for the increase is that FTC – as with other town and parish councils in Somerset – has stepped in to take on services previously supplied by the overarching Somerset Council, which is in the midst of a financial emergency.

In recent years, this has seen FTC adopt 57 new open spaces, take on the Key Centre and Badgers Hill, improve cleaning and maintenance in the town centre and support community organisations.

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Meanwhile, due to the council’s growth, FTC invited the Local Government Association (LGA) to review the organisation via a ‘peer challenge’ process in 2025.

The resulting report praised the council’s ambition, values and its community-focused approach, and made a series of recommendations for governance and financial management which are embedded in a new Improvement Plan for FTC and reflected in the new work programme and budget.

During the meeting, some councillors shared concerns about the proposed work programme, including Cllr Nick Dove, over the reliability and inadequate frequency of refuse collections and the associated graffiti on commercial bins.

Cllr Lisa Merryweather felt some areas, such as post-16 education, support for the economically deprived and the digitally excluded were not sufficiently provided for in the programme.

And new Liberal Democrat town councillor, Richard Pinnock, shared concerns that the precept increase was too high and would impact the most vulnerable people in the community.

Lenka Grimes, of Fair Frome, thanked the council for its ongoing financial support of the charity, as their services were experiencing unprecedented demand and for raising the precept as little as possible.

Cllr Anne Hills and Cllr Barrows responded that there was significant provision in the budget and work programme to support Frome’s most vulnerable residents.

The Frome Town Council budget includes funding for:

• Maintaining and improving parks, play areas and open spaces: Frome Town Council now looks after 36 hectares of parks, play areas and open spaces.
• Investing in community buildings and shared spaces: Including the Key Centre, Badgers Hill and other facilities that support local groups, services and community activities.
• Grants and support for community organisations: Sustaining Frome’s vibrant voluntary and community sector, which provides essential support and opportunities across the town.
• Investing in Frome’s future: Setting out a Frome Town Prospectus to define the town’s identity and make a compelling case for strategic investment and funding.
• Supporting the town centre: Enhancing the environment and activity of the town centre to keep it thriving in difficult national conditions.

For more details of the Frome Town Council budget and the full work programme, see https://tinyurl.com/ftc-budget-26-27.

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