Have your say on East Lindsey's draft budget

Support for vulnerable people and the economy remain a priority of East Lindsey District Council's draft budget proposals - but your views are invited before it is agreed.
East Lindsey District Council wants your views on its draft budget for 2018-19. ANL-181101-122210001East Lindsey District Council wants your views on its draft budget for 2018-19. ANL-181101-122210001
East Lindsey District Council wants your views on its draft budget for 2018-19. ANL-181101-122210001

The council is inviting residents, business and interested parties to have their say on its draft budget proposals for 2018-19.

Over the next four years, the District Council continues to face significant financial challenges and via its Transformation Programme is continuing to identify opportunities to increase income and make savings to balance the budget and protect services to the community. By 2020 the Council expects to no longer receive Government grant funding to support service provision (approximately £4m).

The draft budget proposes:

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- An increase of 3.75% in Council Tax – this is equivalent to 9.5p per week for those living in a Band D home. Most homes fall into a lower Band so their increase would be less. Council Tax in East Lindsey remains the lowest in Lincolnshire.

- To protect services to the community but recognises that further budget reductions and/ or income streams are likely to be required over the medium term.

- Support for vulnerable people and the economy of the District remain priorities.

East Lindsey District Council, along with eight other authorities in Greater Lincolnshire, have been chosen to pilot a Business Rates Retention scheme for 2018-19, which will allow the Council to keep 100% of the business rates raised. Current estimates suggest that this could bring in up to £900,000 extra income. Any additional income would be spent on maintaining services and investing in economic development.

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Portfolio Holder for Finance, Councillor Richard Fry, said: “We continue to cope with pressures around reduced funding from central Government and we know that this will continue in the coming years. Our draft budget reflects the need to be resilient in the face of these challenges but also sets out our priorities of doing all we can to support the District’s most vulnerable residents, grow the economy of the area and provide the services we have to by law.

“We have continued to make savings and we’ll look to carry this on by becoming more efficient in the way we deliver our services. Whilst savings achieved through our services are important, it is crucial we look at ways in which we can generate more income and I’m currently working with officers to fully understand the ways in which we can achieve this.”

To read the full budget proposals and to take part in the consultation visit www.e-lindsey.gov.uk/budget or one of the Council’s Community Access Points.

The consultation is open until 5pm on February 1.

Once the consultation is completed the views of the community will be passed back to the Executive Board for consideration on February 14, 2018. A report will then go to Council on Thursday, February 28.