IVYBRIDGE residents will see an increase in part of their council tax for next financial year.

At the last meeting of the full Ivybridge Town Council, councillors agreed to increase the precept by £4.56 per annum for an average band D property - a 4.8 per cent rise.

Each town or parish council’s precept - the amount it asks for to pay for services - forms only a small proportion of the total council tax paid by each household.

The majority goes to Devon County Council, South Hams Council, Devon & Cornwall Police and Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service.

The total rise in council tax for 2017/18 will not be revealed until these other authorities set their respective precepts.

Ivybridge’s total precept for next year will be £413,766, a band D equivalent of £110.01 per household.

Town clerk Lesley Hughes cited a number of factors in the council’s decision to raise rates. It is continuing to fund some youth services in the town, and is responsible for repairing and maintaining play areas, walls and fencing in Victoria Park.

The council is also preparing itself for the impact of hundreds of new houses on the town’s eastern edge, whose occupants it predicts will use Ivybridge services but pay council tax to Ugborough parish.

Ivybridge Town Council will also spend money on supporting social prescribing, a way of linking patients in primary care with sources of support within the community. It may also incur some start up costs in the development of the former Butterpark care home into sheltered acommodation.

Looking ahead, the council is also preparing for a continuing reduction in the council tax support grant it receives from the Government via South Hams Council. There is also a danger the Government may introduce legislation restricting town councils to a two per cent increase in future.