Louth taxpayers' bills are on the rise again

Last Tuesday evening, Louth Town Council voted in favour of a 7.9 per cent rise in their portion of council taxes, which was recommended by their governance and finance committee last month.

This means that, from April, residents living in an average ‘Band D’ property in Louth will contribute £54.58 towards the town council over the course of the tax year. This is around £1.05 per week, up from 97 pence per week - representing an annual increase of £3.99, compared to 2017-18.

Louth Town Council’s overall precept request is £269,286, which is a cash increase of 10.8 per cent.

This precept will include the £6,653 net cost of a new amenity grass cutting agreement between the town council and Lincolnshire County Council.

However, the town council’s share of your Council Tax bill is just a fraction of the overall sum you will be expected to pay in 2018-19, once county council, district council and police taxes are taken into account.

The Leader can reveal that Lincolnshire County Council is proposing an increase of between 3.95% and 4.95% (which includes an initial rise of between 
1.95% and 2.95%, plus a further 2.00% for the social care ‘precept’) for 2018-19.

The final decision on this rise will be made at the county council’s meeting in February.

The authority says it could freeze council tax or increase it by a smaller amount, but this would mean further reductions in services.

A larger rise would place what it describes as ‘an increased burden on council taxpayers during what are still difficult times.’

An increase of more than 6% would also require a referendum, costing more than £1 million.

East Lindsey District Council is proposing an increase of 3.75% in Council Tax – this is equivalent to 9.5p per week for those living in a Band D property.

This increase forms part of the District Council’s draft budget proposals which were revealed last Thursday (January 11), which is now open to a public consultation until 5pm on February 1. To take part in the consultation, visit www.e-lindsey.gov.uk/budget or one of ELDC’s Community Access Points.

Details of the final decision on the county, district and police ‘levies’ will be announced over the next four weeks, but experts are predicting an overall increase of at least £60-a-year for an average Band D property.

At the same time, county and district councils are warning of possible cuts to even frontline services as they look to balance the books following another significant reduction in funding from central Government.