ILKLEY’S annual precept is set to increase again as a £24,000-plus Community Fund is set up to help safeguard services against local authority cutbacks.

Ilkley Parish Council this week agreed to increase its precept by just over two per cent in the next financial year - after raising the charge to the community by more than a fifth in 2014-2015 to cover spending including Tour de France arrangements.

In a vote which split the council chamber, chairman Councillor Andrew Walbank used his casting vote to pass the proposed budget for 2015-2016.

A Band D property household will pay £24.10 for the year, an increase of about 6p a year, or 2.19 per cent.

A statement issued by the Parish Council after Monday’s meeting said the £163,000-plus precept was “modest” when compared with those set by other councils across the region.

The statement said: “Discussions have taken account of the present economic climate including the potential loss of funding for some of the town’s services and facilities such as the Manor House Museum and the toilets at White Wells.

“Councillors feel that it is important that sufficient funds are available to the Council to protect vital valued services and facilities for the town’s residents, if it is required to do so.”

It plans spending of almost £190,000 in the next financial year.

Budget allocations include: £45,000 for Awards and Projects spending, £30,000 for staff salaries and £23,000 for Christmas lights.

A total of £7,000 is set aside for Jubilee Lights maintenance, and £7,000 for the Neighbourhood Plan.

Other budgeted income includes thousands of pounds from allotment rents - ringfenced for the allotments themselves - a Council Tax support grant and Concert on The Grove.

Councillors recently held two informal meetings to formulate a budget proposal. It has since emerged that the Parish Council is to get a VAT refund of £11,000, leading some to question increasing the precept.

Cllr Mike Gibbons proposed an amendment to the budget, freezing the precept at last year’s rate. He argued it was ‘cynical’ to raise the amount after charging extra for the Tour de France provision last year and receiving tax money back.

This was defeated by the chairman’s casting vote.

Another amendment, put forward by Cllr Mike Ridgway, was to round up the precept rise to 10p a year for a Band D property.

Coun Ridgway argued it was prudent to top up the Council’s reserves, especially in light of anticipated expenditure if Ilkley Literature Festival and others bodies hit by possible Bradford Council cuts ask for support.

He branded suggestions of cutting the precept as “unrealistic and stupid”.

The Council said its reserves pot is now down to just under £18,000.