Residents of Glastonbury will notice a slight uptick in their council tax bills for the 2024/25 financial year, following a decision by town councillors to adjust the precept—a move aimed at bolstering the town's preparedness for the handover of services from Somerset Council.

Glastonbury Town Council has settled on a new precept demand totalling £960,000.

The freshly pegged precept translates to an annual Band D council tax rate of £296.13 for Glastonbury households, breaking down to £5.69 per week.

The Precept is a type of tax that town and parish councils use to get money from the people living in the area to cover their costs. These councils don't get money directly from the government, so they depend on the Precept and any money they make from services or facilities they offer. This Precept is included in the Council Tax bill people pay, and the local council asks the main council in the area, like Somerset Council, to collect it. By law, the town council has to decide on a budget before they can ask for this Precept money.

Navigating the intricacies of the precept and its implications for council tax might seem daunting. At its core, the council tailors the precept around the necessary budget to uphold and enhance town services throughout the year. This calculated sum is then proportionately distributed across Band D equivalent homes in Glastonbury, thereby determining the individual tax contribution included in the broader council tax bill alongside levies from the county council, police authority, and fire services.

This year's precept setting process was underpinned by a thoughtful analysis of Glastonbury's fiscal needs against the backdrop of a commitment to maintain service quality without imposing undue financial strain on the townsfolk.