Shaftesbury Town Council agrees precept for 2026/2027

Each year, Shaftesbury Town Council reviews its budget and decides how much funding it needs through its various income streams, the main one being the town precept. This is the portion of your Council Tax that pays for local services and facilities managed by the Town Council.

At its Full Council meeting on 20th January, the Council agreed a precept of £875,002 for the 2026/2027 financial year. For a Band D property, the amount from your 2026/2027 Council Tax bill going to Shaftesbury will be £247.33. This is an increase of £27.66 from last year’s bill, which is equivalent to a rise of 53 pence per week. If you live in a property in a different Council Tax band, your bill will be adjusted accordingly. Any exemptions, discounts, reliefs, or reductions you receive through Dorset Council will also affect the amount you pay.

Shaftesbury Town Council is responsible for a wide range of essential services that many people use every day, including:
• Public toilets, 60 bins, 120 benches, bus shelters, and street cleaning
• Parks including Park Walk and Castle Hill, open spaces and seven play areas (over 48 acres)
• Four allotments and the cemetery
• Car parks at Coppice Street and Barton Hill
• Thursday street market, weddings, land hire, Christmas lights, and civic events
• Planning matters

The Council also manages important community assets such as Shaftesbury Lido, War memorials, the Town Hall, and the upcoming Mampitts Community Hub, and works to maintain and improve them for all residents.

Before setting the precept, councillors carefully considered rising costs, and weighed these against the importance of protecting day-to-day services, maintaining key facilities and planning responsibly for the future.

Shaftesbury Mayor and Chair of the Council, Cllr Virginia Edwyn-Jones, explains the approach taken:
“Every year we have to look at the Council’s budget and consider how to approach the following financial year. The starting point is what increase is needed to cover inflation and public sector staff increases, after which we look at our projects: what we need to keep saving for, what we could pause, is there something we no longer feel is viable, has a new priority emerged? Starting in November, we have held three councillor workshops and one public budget meeting and have debated long and hard about the community’s needs for 2026/2027, always acutely aware of the very real pressures on all our pockets in the current economic climate. 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.”

Looking ahead, the agreed precept will allow the Council to:
• Maintain essential local services
• Care for valued facilities such as the Town Hall, the Lido, parks and open spaces
• Deliver local projects such as playground and street furniture upgrades
• Build financial resilience so services can be sustained in future years
• Be ready to take on additional services locally if opportunities arise

Shaftesbury Town Council remains committed to providing good value for money and delivering high-quality services that benefit residents, businesses, and visitors to Shaftesbury.

To find information about your Council Tax, including bands, discounts and exemptions, or requesting 12 monthly payments, please go to the Dorset Council website.

If you couldn’t make the Public Budget Meeting, you can view the meeting presentation here.

 

Precept FAQs

What is a precept?
The precept is the portion of your Council Tax that funds the services provided by Shaftesbury Town Council. It pays for local facilities and services that are managed at town level, rather than by Dorset Council.
What does Shaftesbury Town Council use the precept for?
The precept helps fund day-to-day local services such as parks and open spaces, allotments, the cemetery, public toilets, bins, street cleaning, Thursday street market, civic events, and the upkeep of community assets like the Town Hall and the Lido. It also supports local projects.
How is this different from Dorset Council’s charges in the Council Tax?
Dorset Council is responsible for county-wide services such as education, social care, highways, waste collection and libraries. Shaftesbury Town Council’s precept is a small part of your overall Council Tax bill and is used solely for services and facilities in Shaftesbury.
Why has the precept increased?
Like households and businesses, the Town Council faces rising costs due to inflation, staffing costs and increases in the price of goods and services. The Council must balance these pressures with the need to protect local services, maintain important facilities and plan responsibly for the future.
How much will this cost me?
The amount you pay depends on your Council Tax band. The figure quoted in the precept statement is for a Band D property. If your property is in a different band, your bill will be adjusted accordingly.
Who decides the precept amount?
The precept is set by town councillors each January as part of the annual budget-setting process. This includes budget workshops and a public budget meeting, where residents can view proposals and ask questions.
Can the Town Council cut services instead of increasing the precept?
Councillors consider all options when setting the budget, including whether services can be reduced, paused or changed. However, many of the services provided by the Town Council are highly valued by residents, and cutting them could have a direct impact on the quality of life in the town.
Does the Town Council make a profit from the precept?
No. The precept is used to fund services, maintain assets, and build appropriate reserves so the Council can manage risks and plan for future costs, such as major repairs or new services.
How do I find out how much I pay for my Council Tax band?
Your Council Tax bill will be issued by Dorset Council and will show the charges from your parish or town council, Dorset Council, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority, and Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner. You can find out the charges for your band on the Dorset Council website. You can also see how much other towns and parishes charge Council Tax bands. The North Dorset Precept Comparison for Band D in 2025/26 is shown below.

How can I find out more about the council or get involved?
You can attend Council meetings, view agendas and minutes on the Town Council website, or contact your local councillors directly. Information about budgets and consultations is also published online. To keep up to date with council news, events, and consultations, you can follow our Facebook and Instagram channels and sign up to our E-News.