South Kesteven’s Best Kept Village competition is no longer viable, the council says.
The annual competition costs the council just under £6,000 per year, with up to £400 and gold litter bins handed to the winners.
The local authority is proposing to incorporate the downsized competiton into its SK Community awards to save money.
The event was previously managed by the Countryside Charity on behalf of the council, until funding came to an end in 2019.
A council officer would visit around 100 qualifying villages across the district to judge them.
SKDC is now rethinking the cost as local authorities come under increasing financial strain.
Council members will be asked to consider whether it should become part of the council’s annual awards in order to keep costs down.
Under the proposed changes, villages may need to submit photo evidence to prevent an employee from having to visit them all.
There could be a registration fee to reduce the number of entrants and recoup some of the costs.
Allington came second place in the large village category | Photo: SKDC
The SK Community Awards cost £5,000 overall last year, including the presentation night, meaning the council would save money overall.
Winners traditionally receive certificates and crystal trophies rather than gold litter bins.
“Given the increased costs and the vacant position left by the previous officer who was responsible, operating the competition using the same mechanisms since 2019 is no longer considered to be a viable option,” a report going before council says.
It concludes: “The opportunity to include the Best Kept Village Competition within the SK Community Awards represents an opportunity for the council and communities to continue to celebrate the community pride and achievement, whilst balancing this against the council’s current financial challenges.”
Another option would be stopping the competition altogether, although this isn’t recommended.
Many other local authorities stopped Best Kept Village competitions when the Countryside Charity ceased in 2019, according to the report.
The Rural and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be asked to make a decision on Thursday, February 9.
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
Exciting news for MyLocal app users and The Lincolnite readers! Our latest update is now available to download from your app store and comes packed with the best local news experience you can enjoy.
Revamped News Feed: Enjoy faster loading times and smoother scrolling that make catching up on local news a breeze.
New Play Video Feed: Dive into a dynamic video feed that brings local stories to life in a whole new way.
Enhanced In-App Browser: Access external links quickly and efficiently, right from the app, without any distractions.
Update your MyLocal app from your app store (version 2.73) now and start enjoying these great new features today!
P.S.: Start your MyLocal membership today to support MyLocal and The Lincolnite deliver you a better local news experience and honest journalism from across Lincolnshire.
P.P.S.: We have some huge things in the pipeline, stay tuned!
Exciting news for MyLocal app users and The Lincolnite readers! Our latest update is now available to download from your app store and comes packed with the best local news experience you can enjoy.
Revamped News Feed: Enjoy faster loading times and smoother scrolling that make catching up on local news a breeze.
New Play Video Feed: Dive into a dynamic video feed that brings local stories to life in a whole new way.
Enhanced In-App Browser: Access external links quickly and efficiently, right from the app, without any distractions.
Update your MyLocal app from your app store (version 2.73) now and start enjoying these great new features today!
P.S.: Start your MyLocal membership today to support MyLocal and The Lincolnite deliver you a better local news experience and honest journalism from across Lincolnshire.
P.P.S.: We have some huge things in the pipeline, stay tuned!