Would you be willing to pay more council tax to save local youth and leisure facilities?

That is exactly what residents of Ashburton are being asked so the town council can help secure the future of Ashburton Swimming Pool and the Bank Youth Project.

Ashburton Town Council is asking residents if they would be willing to pay an additional £13-£40 per year in council tax, depending on banding, so it can provide two £30,000 grants to the organisations.

The cost would be added to the Town Council precept, which is the part of the council tax bill that funds the town council’s operations and services.

Ashburton Swimming Pool desperately needs funding to fix a serious leak. Volunteers secured funding last year to repair a large crack but the pool continues to lose water. ‘If considerable funding is not received, the pool will not be able to open,’ warned Ashburton pool trustee and town councillor Lucy Wood. Pool managers are planning to use a professional diagnostic company to identify the cause of the leak so they can get it repaired properly.

The Bank Youth Project gives young people between the ages of 9 and 19 a safe space to take part in activities and access support. It costs around £60,000-£70,000 per year for the project to open four nights a week. Ongoing costs include staffing, building maintenance, utilities and the cost of the activities. ‘Grant funding is increasingly competitive, especially for core costs,’ a spokesperson said.‘We are working hard applying to other sources, along with trying to generate income in other ways. But £30,000 for next year would give us almost half our budget and provide stability to plan ahead with confidence,’ the spokesperson added.

Voting for the proposed increase is in-person only and votes can be cast at the Town Clerk’s office (10am-12pm Monday to Thursday) or at Ashburton Information Centre during its opening times. Voting closes on Saturday December 23.