COPIES AVAILABLE TO COLLECT FROM STC OFFICES: Sevenoaks Town Council sets its Council Tax precept for 2025/26
Published: 05 February 2025
Sevenoaks Town Council has unveiled its annual budget and the Council Tax precept to enable it to provide services for the town community at a cost of £2.96 per week for local residents.
The leaflet on the annual budget can be read online via this link: https://rb.gy/ycsxup
In setting the 2025 / 2026 it considered the following key points:
1. Continuing to provide free to access community services
The Town Council recognises that these are difficult financial times, and that other Councils are reducing services and there is a lot of uncertainty in general due to potential local government reorganisation. Town Councillors believe it is important to maintain local community services for people to be able to use, especially those free to access which include parks, play facilities and community events.
2. Increasing support to voluntary organisations
The Town Council has also increased considerably the grant budget for local voluntary organisations, recognising their financial difficulties and limited sources of funding.
3. Meeting new government requirements
It is meeting the government requirement of increased National Insurance which equals two per cent on the rates and which the Town Council, unlike other Local Authorities, is not able to reclaim.
4. Continuing to invest in new facilities
The Town Council is continuing to invest in the community with community support – the purchase of Longspring Woods is an excellent example of this when Town Council funding was matched by a hugely successful public pledge campaign to save an ancient woodland for local residents.
The total annual Total Annual Revenue Budget for 2025-6 has been set at £1,997,096.
Of this 77 per cent comes from the domestic ratepayer’s precept (Council Tax). Twenty-two per cent (£451,949) of the budget comes from generated income including fees and services such as community halls, sports pitches, markets, cemetery, and cafes.
Sevenoaks Town Council has agreed to set its Council Tax Precept for 2025/6 at £1,545.147, a 5.7 per cent increase resulting in a Band D equivalent house paying £153.67 per annum which is £2.96 per week. This is an increase of £8.34 per year/17 pence per week compared to 2024-2025.
Cllr Tony Clayton, Chairman of the Finance & General Purposes Committee commented: “The Town Council's officers have worked hard to control spending this year, and for the year ahead. However, we have been hit hard by the increase in National Insurance - especially the lower threshold at which is starts for all council employees and that will add over £3 to the average council tax bill.
“We have taken the view that this isn’t the time to reduce services, especially given the pressures on District and County councils which are likely to leave the Town Council with more to do. The Council has also made sure that we’re able to look after the new woodland which the people of Sevenoaks helped us to buy in 2024 and preserve for future generations.
“In addition, we recognise that voluntary organisations which are vital to the success of Sevenoaks as a community are under increasing pressure, and the new budget makes allowance for a bit more help for their continued services. This is a sector which depends on both private contributions and public support. With the distractions of local government reorganisation at other levels, continued support from the Town really matters.”
Full details and figures relating to the budget set are available on the Council’s website www.sevenoakstown.gov.uk within the Finance and Delivery Committee Agenda for 20th January 2025.
The difference a grant makes to local organisations
Over the last year the Town Council has given grants to these and other organisations, with the following feedback:
Sevenoaks Counselling:
A spokesperson said: “It has enabled Sevenoaks Town residents to benefit from professional counselling at an affordable price and for Sevenoaks Counselling to offer professional counselling at a much-reduced rate to residents who cannot afford the full recommended contribution for their counselling sessions.
“From September 2024 until January 2025, we have seen 35 people in the STC area. These beneficiaries are 22 individuals, 2 couples, 2 families and 4 children and young people.”
Hi Kent a charity offering services for the hard of hearing
“With the Town Council’s grant Hi Kent has been able to continue to offer our services free of charge in the Sevenoaks Town area as the grant has funded the cost of Hearing Aid maintenance equipment for the volunteers, volunteers’ travel expenses and local advertising.
“This vital support enables Hi Kent to run our free Hearing Aid Support Clinics. We see between 24 to 45 clients a month, and these numbers are steadily increasing.”
Sevenoaks Samaritans:
“Thanks to the generous support of Sevenoaks Town Council, we have been able to carry out an extensive recruitment campaign in the Sevenoaks area. These activities have not only helped to raise awareness of our services in the Sevenoaks area but have also contributed to recruiting new volunteers. Between 1st April 2024 and 31st December 2024, we have received 42 applications, with 19 individuals already trained or currently undergoing training to become Samaritans. Another 10 will start training in the next two weeks.
“We extend our heartfelt thanks to Sevenoaks Town Council for their invaluable grant and continued support of Sevenoaks Samaritans.”
West Kent Mediation:
“The funding provided by the Sevenoaks Town Council (STC) has enabled West Kent Mediation (WKM) to continue to provide free community mediation service to all the residents within STC. It allows our 15+ volunteer mediators to practice and use their skills to help the community in doing what they enjoy. Four of our accredited volunteer mediators reside within the STC council area.
“We have this year helped 12 households using the process of mediation, some cases lasting many months, and causing anti-social behaviour. Cases can have an effect to the wider family, community and statutory organisations.”
West Kent Mind Chat Room, mental health service:
“The Chat Room is a service delivered to combat loneliness and social isolation, providing mental wellbeing support to build up emotional resilience though a blended approach of online and in-person delivery. It is facilitated by volunteers and Wellbeing Workers providing opportunities for social interaction, activities, meaningful discussions, and conversations in a safe space.
“Over the last year we have delivered 24 face-to-face sessions at our St Johns Road Wellbeing Centre and 24 virtual sessions, and we have engaged with 36 new clients from Sevenoaks Town area, with attendances reaching 552 over the year.
“Following attendance at Chat Room, ten clients have moved on to do other community-based activities, who would not have had the confidence otherwise. In addition to direct beneficiaries there have been a minimum of 108 indirect beneficiaries; partners, family, friends.”
We Are Beams, a charity supporting disabled children and families:
The disabled children and young people who access the charity’s services will typically have one or more learning difficulty, complex health needs, physical or sensory impairment, challenging behaviour, Autism or severe ADHD.
A Family Advice face-to-face clinic takes place weekly at House in the Basement Youth Cafe, Stag Community Arts Centre, a venue supplied free of charge by STC. Additionally, a grant has been given for staff training
A spokesperson commented “Thank you Sevenoaks Town Council for your continued support that makes such a difference to local families in need.”
Other grants included arts groups and organisations like Sevenoaks Summer Festival, Kent Youth Jazz Orchestra, family charities like Baby Umbrella a charity providing breastfeeding and early parenting support in West Kent and Sevenoaks Volunteer Transport Group.
Charities receiving grants will be exhibiting at the Sevenoaks Annual Town Public Meeting on March 17 at Bat and Ball Centre from 6.30pm. Information at www.sevenoakstown.gov.uk