When your council tax bill arrives, only a small proportion goes to Lyme Regis Town Council.
This is known as the precept – the amount collected to help fund local services, facilities and community projects.
For the 2026/27 financial year, Lyme Regis residents continue to pay one of the lowest town council precepts in Dorset, despite the council delivering a wide range of services and investing in the community.
Here’s how a Band D property compares:
- Lyme Regis – £66.10
- Charmouth – £126.96
- Bridport – £216.08
- Sherborne – £277.73
For comparison, a Band D household in Bridport contributes more than three times as much to its town council as a household in Lyme Regis, while Sherborne residents pay more than four times as much.
So how does Lyme Regis continue to deliver so much while asking comparatively little from residents?
The real answer lies in the council’s unique financial model.
Around 94% of Lyme Regis Town Council’s income comes from commercial activity, with only around 6% coming from the precept paid through council tax.
This means that income generated through the council’s commercial assets helps fund the running of the town, significantly reducing the financial burden on local households.
The figures also reflect a long-term commitment to careful financial management.
Over the past 15 years, the town council has increased its precept only twice, and for 2026/27 the amount paid by residents reduced by 3.9% in real terms, while continuing to fund essential services, maintain public spaces and invest in new projects.
The council also remains debt free, despite rising costs, and continues to invest around £140,000 every year in grants that support local organisations, charities, community groups and events across Lyme Regis.
It’s a financial approach that allows the council to invest in the town while keeping the direct contribution from residents among the lowest of comparable Dorset towns, a small reminder that the value of your town council extends far beyond the amount shown on your council tax bill.