Budget: North Kesteven District Council has become the latest Lincolnshire authority to back a council tax hike for its residents.
North Kesteven District Council has become the latest Lincolnshire authority to back a council tax hike for its residents.
The council follows Lincolnshire County Council, City of Lincoln Council, and the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner in recommending a rise in their share of tax.
Proposals approved by the district council’s Executive would see a tax rise of 3.41% for residents, equivalent to £4.95 a year for Band D households.
However, as three-quarters of households are in Bands A to C this means the authority’s share could rise by just six to eight pence per week.
The council has said that its proposed budget “futureproofs the delivery of local services.”
Councillor Marion Brighton OBE, leader of the council, said: “In light of recent announcements of forthcoming reductions in funding from central government over the next four years, it is increasingly important the council
continues to take a medium to long term view of the financial landscape.
“We felt that in these circumstances and given the imminent withdrawal of all direct funding, the prudent thing to do was to maintain our established policy of gradual increases in order to futureproof our level of service provision.
“At the 11th hour the government responded to lobbying from local government and raised the parameters in which we could work to increase our financial resilience.
“During recent budget consultation events the changing nature of local government finance was explained to residents who fully understood the need to make continued small increments if we are to continue meeting the increased costs of delivering services.
“Alongside other local authorities, we lobbied the government on a number of issues surrounding its previous finance settlement, arguing the special case for rural areas such as ours that have achieved significant savings of more than £3m over the last three years through efficiencies and innovative approaches to service delivery, and I am pleased to see that they have listened and responded.”
NKDC’s Full Council will consider its budget at its meeting on Thursday, February 25.
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