It’s at this time of year our thoughts turn to the budget for the next financial year and the Parish Council approved the raising of the precept (the part of the Council tax that comes to us) by 7.5% to a total of £19,6938 which equates to 11p per week on a Band D property. The average Band D in Cornwall is £124.65 per annum whilst Calstock Parish remains much lower at £83.47.

This income is used to maintain the recreation grounds, two cemeteries, two sets of public toilets, the car parks at Calstock, Gunnislake and Harrowbarrow, Calstock Waterfront area, and salaries for our 4 staff. It was agreed that the extra money for the coming financial year would be used for looking into becoming single use plastic free by the end of 2020, and other climate change projects that may have a positive impact on our carbon footprint.   Another initiative for this coming year it to purchase equipment to enable our workmen to carry out the grass cutting instead of paying a contractor, which gives us more flexibility and control of the work. We are also looking at extending the cemetery at Calstock which also involves extra funding on top of what we would normally spend on the cemeteries.