NEW ROMNEY TOWN COUNCIL has set its Precept for 2026-27 at £509,123.00 which can be broken down and compared to the previous year as follows:
| | 2025/26 | 2026/27 |
| Net Budget / Annual Precept | £429,562.00 | £509,123.00 |
| Band D Council Tax Charge | £139.60 per year | £163.51 per year Increase of £23.91 per year £1.99 per month £0.46 per week |
| Cost Breakdown | | |
| Gross Expenditure | £415,257.00 | £497,676.00 |
| Income | £37,845.00 | £46,653.00 |
| Net Expenditure | £377,412.00 | £451,023.00 |
| Addition to Ring-Fenced Reserves (required for specified purposes) | £52,150.00 | £58,100.00 |
| Council Tax Requirement (Precept) | £429,562.00 | £509,123.00 |
In day to day terms, this Precept equates to a SMALL INCREASE on the average Band D Council Tax Bill for 2026-27.
The Council has worked extremely hard to keep any increase in Precept and, therefore, the Town Council element of the Council Tax Bill as low as possible and this achievement means that the small increase in the Town Council element of the average Band D Council Tax Bill will amount to £1.99 per calendar month / £0.46 Per week in 2026 – about the same cost as half a packet of crisps or one fifth of an average-priced cup of coffee from a typical High Street outlet per week or less than one whole cup of coffee per month,
New Romney Town Council is a very pro-active Council which prides itself in working hard to improve and enhance the local area for the benefit of the local community. It has an adopted four-year Strategic Plan in order to focus its approach to improving the Town for the benefit of local residents and an adopted local Highway Improvement Plan to help make New Romney a safer place and, this year of course, it also delivered the much-valued Maude Community Centre for the community, which is already seeing increasing use month on month... a huge achievement for New Romney!
It should
be noted that whilst the Town Council’s income is only projected to increase by
approximately £9,000.00 in 2026-27, its expenditure, after making necessary
allocations to ring-fenced reserve funds for specified actions and/or projects
is projected to increase by approximately £75,000.00.
It is important to recognise that the Town Council is a ‘Service Industry’ and that, therefore, its greatest expenditure is staff costs as the Council cannot provide services to and for the community without a staff team to do so. Over and above the basic ‘cost of living’ increase across everything that the Council does, the majority of the remainder of this year’s Precept increase can be attributed to increased staffing costs; in particular, the recent necessity to appoint two further part-time members of staff to the caretaking team and the necessity in the forthcoming year to appoint one further part-time member of staff to the clerical team as a direct result of increasing workload due to the pro-active nature of the Town Council which continually strives to improve public access to Council services and to provide improved facilities and an enhanced local environment for the community.
SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ROMNEY AS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND VISIT THROUGH:
· Maintenance of historic listed public buildings
· Provision and maintenance of local play and exercise equipment (Fairfield Road Recreation Ground and The Greens, Littlestone – soon to include Station Road Play Area)
· Provision, maintenance and protection of local open spaces
· Provision and maintenance of Allotment Gardens
· Practical enhancements to local amenity areas (eg public seating, bins, planters, cycle racks, signposts etc)
· Provision of additional local amenities such as the new Maude Community Centre – officially opened in July 2025
· Providing and supporting local community events
· Supporting local groups and organisations
· Supporting the community through unforeseen emergencies
· Keeping local residents informed through access to Council meetings and via the Town Council’s website, social media page, councillor surgeries and noticeboards
WORKING TOWARDS A POSITIVE AND DYNAMIC FUTURE
A message from our Town Mayor, Councillor John Rivers:
"Over the past year, New Romney Town Council has achieved a great deal through teamwork, dedication, and a genuine pride in our town. We’ve made real improvements to local facilities and services, delivered valued community projects, and continued to build on the things that make New Romney such a special place. While our work never stands still, we’re proud of what has been achieved and excited about what lies ahead. As we look forward to the coming year, we do so with optimism and a shared commitment to keep working together for the benefit of everyone who lives in, works in, and visits our town."