The council operates a special expenses scheme that ensures residents only pay council tax for services provided in their area.

The scheme operates on the basis that certain services provided by the council are for the benefit of residents in the town area only and that residents in the parish areas should not meet the cost of any of these services, so a special expense is charged to town area council taxpayers.

Services considered to be exclusive to the town area are:

• parks and open spaces
• cemeteries
• town centre CCTV and management

The above activities can also be carried out directly by parish councils and where this occurs, the estimated costs are included within parish precepts which are paid solely by residents of the parish.