Machynlleth residents are facing a huge town council precept increase of almost 10 per cent after councillors backed the rise.

The council came under fire last year after increasing its share of council tax by 18.7 per cent, with the council defending the increase, which equated to an increase of 58p per week for a Band D property, saying that it was needed to meet growing costs, including a new IT system and funding a new contingency fund.

Back in December it had been warned that an increase of 4.43 per cent could be imposed, but councillors at the January meeting approved minutes of a budget panel that agreed to a 9.55 per cent increase. That will see the council raise a total of £172,000 in the next financial year.

There had been warnings that funding would be needed to meet a range of issues, including surveys and work on trees in the town that had been assessed as needing to be removed.

The minute from the budget panel says: “A precept of £172,000 had been raised which amounted to a 9.55 per cent increase in the precept.”