Council take out £500,000 loan to help renovate civic buildings.
PENARTH residents will be asked to pay an average £4.76 more town council tax per year.
From April, Band-D properties will be paying £78.69 per year to the town council. This is an extra 40p per month compared to the 2019/20 figures.
The amount of money going to the Town Council, called a precept, is added on to the final council tax bill and is not the total amount Penarth residents will pay in 2020/21.
The final bill will also include payments to the Vale of Glamorgan Council and police services. This will be confirmed February 26.
For 2020/21, the Town Council have estimated that they will need £912,585.76 to run and manage their services and facilities.
In addition, the town council is taking out a £500,000 loan for building renovations to venues including Turner House, The Paget Rooms and The Chapel.
The estimated budget was passed last month with seven votes in favour and three councillors abstaining.
Only £1.88 of the yearly charge for a Band-D Property will be used to pay back the £500,000 loan.
Other costs in the 2020/21 budget have increased such as salaries, upkeep of the cemetery, general administration and putting on the Summer Festival.
Michael Colins, 77, of Andrew Road has lived in the town since 2001 and complements the Town Council for the park upkeep and different events.
“I think the Summer Festival is a great thing for Penarth, and the Downhill Derby is great – my family come from the valleys to go. The events are a brilliant thing for Penarth,” he said.
Sheila Evans, 64, moved to Penarth recently and said that she expected the council tax rise.
“The council tax did rise where I used to live, and what can you do? It will benefit the town and the community,” she said.
“Having better venues, maintaining the area and making it look nice is what we want.”
Peter Newton, the policy, development and innovation officer for the Town Council said at the last council meeting that this increase in the budget will help the town thrive.
“2021 is going to be the year we progress and deliver,” he said.
“We are managing more venues than ever, we are going to be providing high quality and flexible spaces for meetings and culture.
“We will have a more cohesive community and more events than ever before.”
The Town Council applied for the Public Works Loan in 2019 to work on renovating several council buildings.
The Chapel, Turner House, The Paget Rooms and West House will all benefit from renovations funded by the loan.
The Cemetery Chapel, Castle Avenue, will become more usable to the community. The main hall is one of the few spaces in the town big enough for groups to use.
Plans are also in place to add in kitchen facilities and a disabled access toilet.
These works are due to start in May 2020.
Paget Rooms, in Victoria Road, will benefit from repairs to doors, windows, and the roof. There are also plans to install a lift and a disabled toilet.
The Town Council is in partnership with National Museum Wales to maintain Grade II listed property Turner House, Plymouth Road.
The renovations include additional accessible facilities, a gallery space, workshop and meeting rooms, and a tourist information area.
West House, Stanwell Road, where the Community Hub, Community Garden and the Town Council are all based will also have minor renovations such as improved toilets and kitchen facilities.
