Business leader Paul Reach has launched a tax attack on Dartmouth Town Council's controversial decision to slap a 30 per cent hike in its share of the annual council tax bill.

Mr Reach – himself a former town councillor who is now chairman of the town's business forum representing scores of local businesses – condemned the overspend on the town massive market regeneration 18 months ago and questioned whether shelling out to paint the market walls will work.

And he declared: 'Finally when every area of government, both central and local, is being pressured to reduce budgets, I believe it is wholly inappropriate to be increasing costs to this level, particularly when it is my money being spent.

'My message would be to save money elsewhere if you have major planned spends. The businesses of the town have to do it, so should the council.'

Dartmouth householders are facing an increase of 30 per cent in their town council tax bill partly to fund the building of town's new indoor swimming pool – for which the council is committed to finding £50,000 a year for the next three years.

The tax increase will see average Band D tax bills rise in Dartmouth from £46.85 a year to £61.33 – an increase of £14.48 a year.

The town councillors pointed out that Dartmouth residents' total tax bill would still be less than that being charged householders in neighbouring Ivybridge and Totnes.

And Mayor Paul Allen said the increase was the result of 'prudential financial management for the benefit of the whole community'.

The increase is also designed to fund the £30,000 it is expected to cost the town council to carry out work on the market – including the painting of the outer walls.

Mr Reach declared: 'I must admit that I am struggling to understand the need for such a large increase in Dartmouth's council tax.

'Firstly I believe it is reasonable to criticise the council for mismanaging the redevelopment of the Market square. The final bill of over £500,000 was well above the £290,000 I originally approved when I was on the council. I know there were unforeseen difficulties but I am sure the project could have been better managed to save enough to fund the swimming pool.

'I also believe that the failure to market the new retail space has meant that the investment has not generated the footfall it should have, leaving some of the new traders struggling. Part of the justification for the investment in the market was that it would raise an additional £30,000 a year in rent from the increased retail space so that's 60 per cent of the funding for the pool already in place, a major reason for my vote in favour of the redevelopment.

'As for painting the outer walls, again for £30,000, what makes the council believe this will work any better than before? I have lost track of the times this repaint has failed, partly because English Heritage insist on using paints that were phased out when new and better coverings came along, and partly because the stone grounding is crumbling. Why not use the best modern coatings available to ensure the preservation of the fabric of this historic site?'