The council tax precept for Falmouth may have to rise next year if the town council is forced to take on responsibilities from Cornwall Council.

In a meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee of Falmouth Town Council, councillors heard that they may have to look into increasing the amount it generates from taxpayers in 2015.

Committee chairman and Cornwall Councillor Candy Atherton said: “We’ve been put under great strain by events in Truro. Our main council budget is about £150,000 down as well under the cuts.”

She added that previous experience means the council could in reality see even bigger cuts than those predicted.

Town clerk Mark Williams highlighted the fact that Cornwall Council may be looking to stop a transitional grant it had provided when it gave the town back the running of its toilets, and might also remove funding which supports the running of council car parks, a revenue stream which currently benefits Falmouth.

He said the town would then have to decide whether it would continue to operate the toilets, or give them back to the unitary authority, and if it chose the former option it would either have to close them, charge for them, or apply to take over the freehold.

Councillor Geoffrey Evans said it seemed that parish and small town councils were saying that people should have to pay for their own services, and Councillor Steve Gray said it seemed that the council was happy to let others take control of their own services unless they were profitable.

Town clerk Mark Williams said: “It’s a coalition of the willing, those willing to take things on. But if the council are not willing to give us back the car parks there is little we can do about it.”

The council unanimously supported the principle that the town take back as much of its own assets as it could negotiate from Cornwall Council.

Councillor Steve Gray said: “Is it worth saying that all of us do want all our assets back for this town? That’s a feeling I get from everybody on this council.

“I think that’s our aspiration and you need to know that.”

Councillor Atherton replied: “That would give us a mandate to negotiate with a strong hand.”