This Council's costs include:

Facilities and Assets (including Allotments, West Mersea Park, four Car Parks, four Public Toilets)
The Glebe sports fields and pavilions
Council Offices and Groundstaff depot
Personnel (seven employees)
Cemeteries (Barfield Road, Firs Road and Feldy View Woodland, St Peter's and St Paul's Parish Churchyard)
Communications
Printing, Postage and Stationery
Rent and Rates
Repairs and Maintenance
Insurance, Subscriptions and Training
Overheads and Admin
West Mersea Neighbourhood Plan

During the financial year 2019/20 West Mersea Town Council has budgeted to continue its programme of much needed improvements to its estate and facilities (most notably Coast Road toilets and cemeteries), plus the introduction of Police Community Special Constables and, hopefully, an ANPR camera for the Strood. These improvements to facilities and increased policing, plus unavoidable increases to some general costs, results in £84,500 of extra spend over 2018/19. To this must be added reductions in support grants from CBC of £5000, resulting in a total increase of £89,500. This increase is partly offset by reductions to some costs, completed projects and increased income from parking charges and other fees totalling £39,000. The net precept increase is therefore £50,500.

This budgeted spend has led to a precept increase of just under 20%. Although this percentage is a high figure it is applied to a relatively low base figure which results in an increase to a Band D property of some £1.35 per month.

In addition to the planned expenditure in 2019/20 the Council is conscious of the need to future-proof its financial position by strengthening reserves in preparation for the possible introduction of Referendum Rules by HMG governing future precept increases, and to allow provision for increased costs from the devolution of certain services from ECC to parishes. Failure by WMTC to take appropriate action now would inevitably jeopardise future services and the general well-being of its open spaces and facilities.

This Council held the Annual Town Meeting on the 25th April at the Royal British Legion Hall. The Mayor outlined some of the work this Council has carried out over the last 12 months. The special guest at this meeting was Inspector Jonathan Evans of Essex Police who spoke about policing on Mersea.