Lincolnshire County Council sign outside head offices on Newland, Lincoln. Picture: Calvin Robinson
Senior councillors have agreed to propose an extra 1% rise in council tax to what they originally planned, bringing the total rise to nearly 5% for their precept.
He and other leaders acknowledged however, that the public was at the limit with council tax rises and moved to reassure people
“If things come round, I’m quite clear if we get a reasonable amount of extra money next year we can plan not to increase council tax so much next year,” he said.
Leader of Lincolnshire County Council Councillor Martin Hill
Asked by fellow councillors about future budgets, he added: “Next year will be quite an important year and will set the way for the next few years ahead.
“We need to use all budget to make ourselves sustainable and hope that this time next year we’ll be looking at a better situation.”
Councillors were told the authority could be receiving an extra £1.3 million to its rural services grant and an extra £1.683 million in returned business rates levies from Central Government.
An additional £1.1 million was also agreed to go to heritage services in Lincolnshire, despite them having had a target to be self-sustaining and have zero budget this year.
Councillor Hill said progresses had been made, however, the target had not been met. He asked for the extra cash and said he hoped the service would move to be completely self-sustaining next year.
Further cuts in grants from central government, though could see the usual revenue support grant, the main source of funding, fall to £20.139 million.
It will bring the total cuts to grant funding over the past four years to £50.212 million and will leave the authority with a forecasted shortfall £23.092 million.
However, the authority has proposed to dip into its reserves in order to balance the books.
Councillors were told the move was a “one off contribution”but, the authority also used its reserves in 2018-19 when it took out £12 million as part of a £35 million two-year budget plug.
A 3.95% increase in council tax would generate an additional £13.769 million for the local authority in 2019/20.
It was also confirmed the council had been unsuccessful in its bid to the government to continue to retain a portion of its business rates as part of a pilot programme.
Final budget plans will come back to the authority’s executive on February 5, 2019.
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A local man was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and dangerous driving after two pedestrians were injured in a collision with a car and three parked vehicles in Skegness.
Lincolnshire Police officers attended the scene after the collision between a blue Citroen Berlingo, the parked vehicles, and a man and a woman, who are both in their 60s, on Winthorpe Avenue shortly before 7pm on Friday, April 16.
The two pedestrians suffered serious injuries and were taken to hospital. However, their injuries are not thought to be life threatening.
A 63-year-old local man, who was driving the Berlingo, was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and dangerous driving. He has since been released under investigation.
Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage and anyone with information should contact them on 101 or via email at [email protected] quoting incident number 389 of April 16.
Few people attended the second Kill the Bill protest in Lincoln on Saturday, as Extinction Rebellion activists stood alone on the High Street to campaign against a proposed policing bill that could make many protests illegal.
Activists from Extinction Rebellion Lincolnshire gathered at Speakers’ Corner to oppose plans for the latest Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which could curtail protesting rights if passed through parliament.
Extinction Rebellion were the main representatives at the protest. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
Under the proposed bill, police officers will be given greater powers to put a stop to any protests, as well as determining start and finish times for them, and controlling noise levels.
A few stopped to talk with the protestors, but most just went about their day walking down Lincoln High Street in the first weekend that non-essential shops and beer gardens reopened.
The Lincolnite spoke to one of the rebels at the protest, to find out the reasons behind the march.
They said: “This draconian bill cannot go ahead, it needs to be taken apart and re-evaluted completely.
“People have been walking past us shaking their heads, but they don’t realise that it’s their freedom we are fighting for.”
The Lincolnite photographer Steve Smailes captured some pictures from the protest.
Signs were put up by the works at Speakers’ Corner on Lincoln High Street. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite
A 19-year-old man is in hospital with serious injuries after a crash on the A52 on Friday evening.
The single-vehicle crash, involving a white Suzuki Splash, happened in the westbound lane of the A52 between Barrowby and Sedgebrook at around 7.20pm on Friday, April 16.
The driver of the car is now in hospital after suffering serious injuries, and police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.
Officers believe the driver had travelled from Grantham on the A52 at Barrowby before the crash.
Anyone who has dashcam footage or saw the vehicle before the incident is being asked to call 101, quoting incident 420 of April 16.
Alternatively, you can email [email protected], using the same reference in the subject box.
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