A public meeting on whether voters would like Brandon Town Council to take over the nearby country park will be held.

It follows news that the town council is set to raise its share of council tax by 41.7pc to �282, 231, the equivalent of an additional �16 per year, per household.

Some �35,000 of this would help pay for the takeover of Brandon Country Park, while the remaining increase would include money for changes to street lighting and a future extension to the cemetery.

Brandon town clerk Christine Mason said the date of the public meeting would be decided at the March town council meeting.

She added: “I think a lot of people were under the impression that when we put the precept up it was just for the country park.

“It was actually for quite a few things but we had a few, 10 or so, irate people. I feel the majority of people support us going forward but we thought we would have a public meeting to explain the full facts. “They seem to think it’s a done deal but we’re not stupid people, we’ve not signed on the dotted line yet. People don’t realise the background work that’s gone into this.”