Teignbridge is cancelling a planned council tax rise next year, although one councillor feels that it should invest more money in creating jobs instead.

The district council is set to propose a budget of £59 million for the next financial year, with a third of a million pounds left over from the council’s income this year.

Teignbridge wants to continue to waive council tax for those on the lowest income and while there is a council tax increase, it will not come into effect until 2024-25.

The £5.54 refund of Teignbridge’s council tax increase for all households in 2023-24 will cost £330,000, but Conservative leader Cllr Phil Bullivant (Bradley) feels that the money might be put to better use elsewhere.

'I’m trying to think of how best to spend that £330,000 given our £4.3 million black hole,' he said at an overview and scrutiny committee meeting on Thursday [2 February]. 'I feel it would be better spent on creating jobs than giving out £5.54 as council tax support.'

Cllr Richard Keeling (Liberal Democrat, Chudleigh) explained that Teignbridge only gets 10 pence on the pound of council tax, so it wants to use that to support its residents.

'We have spent a lot of time on how can Teignbridge help our residents with the cost of living crisis with those who are struggling the most so we are planning to give back to householders the Teignbridge share of the council tax increase,' he said.