The regular Coffee and Drop-in morning was held on Saturday, 7 January in the main hall of the Town Hall. The theme was New Year's resolutions.

Not personal ones but ideas for 2023 for Cowbridge, Llanblethian and Aberthin. A good number were collected and are now being reviewed. Feedback will be provided at a future Coffee and drop-in morning.

Also, the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Malcolm Wilson, provided an update on the progress of the Community Plan project which was launched in October 2022.

The raffle plus donations for coffee, cake etc. raised another £168 for the two Mayor's charities, Barnardo's and Atal y fro.

Thanks to everyone who supports and helps with the coffee mornings.

The next Mayor's Coffee and Drop-in morning will be on Saturday 4, February 2023.

The first Town Council meeting of 2023 was on Tuesday 17, January. The principal agenda item was the budget for the year starting 1st April 2023.

Councillors are responsible for agreeing a balanced budget and maintaining a sensible level of reserves, in line with guidance from the Auditor General For Wales, after considering proposals prepared by the Town Clerk/ Responsible Financial.

An independent review of the future role of Town and Community Councils in Wales, launched in 2017 by the Welsh Government, recommended that Town and Community Councils take on more responsibilities to improve the well- being of people in their areas and should not be constrained from doing anything they deem required by their community.

The responsibilities of the Town Council are indeed increasing as it takes over such things as the High Street flowers and Christmas lights which were previously the responsibility of other organisations, invests in biodiversity and develops a Community Plan to ensure that the actions of the Town Council are aligned with the wishes of the community.

Cowbridge with Llanblethian Town Council are responsible for the upkeep of Cowbridge Town Hall, an ancient, listed building, and must consider when budgeting the likelihood of the need for major repairs.

The majority of the money required by the Town Council comes from its share of Council Tax, the so called precept. Most of the rest of the money comes from room hire and cemetery fees.

The current total band D council tax is £1776.77 per year of which £78.31 per year is for Cowbridge with Llanblethian Town Council. That is £1.50 per week.

After a lengthy and constructive debate, almost all councillors voted to increase the precept for the year starting 1st April 2023 to £87.97 per year or £1.69 per week. An increase of 19 pence per week for a band D household. Councillors took the view that this increase is necessary to cover inflation, additional responsibilities and ensure adequate reserves.

A statement said: "The Council recognises that any increase will be unwelcome, particularly when everyone is subject to many other significant cost pressures, but it has a duty to balance the books and maintain its assets in good order while keeping any increase as low as possible."