“Residents should not be left to shoulder the full cost of public services” – that’s the message from a trades body today after a ‘tourism tax’ in the county was ruled out by the Mayor of Lincolnshire, Dame Andrea Jenkyns.

Lincoln & District Trades Council has expressed its disappointment at the decision by the Reform Mayor, arguing that the county is “precisely the kind of place” that could benefit from the additional investment such a levy could provide.

As reported today (September 11) Dame Jenkyns has warned that a tourism tax could ‘drive out’ people from visiting the region – particularly affecting coastal towns such as Skegness and Mablethorpe.

But the Trades Council, which is based in Lincoln and represents affiliated trade union branches across the Lincoln area, has condemned the decision.

Main image: Skegness from the air. Inset: Lincolnshire Mayor Andrea Jenkyns.

placeholder image — Main image: Skegness from the air. Inset: Lincolnshire Mayor Andrea Jenkyns.

“The Trades Council believes that Lincolnshire's residents should not be left to shoulder the full cost of maintaining the infrastructure, public services and amenities that support one of the country's major tourism economies,” a spokesperson said.

“Tourism is worth around £2 billion a year to the Lincolnshire economy and supports approximately 19,000 jobs, according to figures cited by the Mayor herself. Yet while millions of visitors come to Lincolnshire every year to enjoy our beaches, countryside, historic towns, attractions and hospitality, the cost of providing the infrastructure they rely upon falls overwhelmingly on local taxpayers and already-stretched public services. A modest visitor levy could change that.”

Bradley Wall, Chair of Lincoln & District Trades Council, commented: "We are disappointed that Mayor Jenkyns has decided to rule out a visitor levy before properly exploring what it could deliver for the people who actually live here.

"This isn't about punishing families who come to Lincolnshire for a holiday. It is about asking whether visitors staying overnight can make a small contribution towards the places and services they are using — and then making sure that money is invested back into Lincolnshire.

He added: "If tourism brings billions into our economy, why shouldn't a small proportion of that money be used to make Lincolnshire a better place for everyone?"