HOUSEHOLDS in Neyland will be charged an extra £50 a year to help pay for local services.

At a meeting on Monday (December 5), Neyland Town Council voted to increase its precept by 1.6 per cent – roughly £50 per household - bringing the council’s annual income to £65,835.

The precept is the annual charge to households in a town or parish toward the running cost of their local council, and is collected alongside council tax.

Around £10,000 of this goes towards the maintenance of Honeyborough cemetery, and between £10,000 and £12,000 is spent on Christmas lights for the town.

This year’s budget also includes a £3,000 contribution to keep the toilets at Brunel Quay open.

The money is also used to maintain the play park, make donations to local groups and organisations, and for twinning events.

Mayor Cllr Simon Hancock said the increase had been kept below inflation, so as not to increase the burden on local taxpayers by too much.