Economic growth and climate change central to East Lindsey District Council’s budget for 2020/21

In recent years, East Lindsey District Council has faced significant financial challenges, achieving savings through new and more efficient ways of working.

The council is proposing a Council Tax rise of 3.49% - £4.95 per year – an extra 9.5p per week for a Band D property.

East Lindsey District Council’s element of the Council Tax remains one of the lowest in the country and is 8% of the overall Council Tax bill it collects.

Whilst Government funding to support local services is expected to continue to reduce over the coming years, in 20/21 the council does have the opportunity to invest in a number of priority areas, as identified in the emerging Corporate Strategy.

As well as maintaining existing service provision, the draft budget proposes:

• Development of a range of targeted initiatives and interventions to help reduce deprivation in our communities.

• The creation of a Market Towns investment fund to help support economic growth (building on the existing programme of interventions along the coast and opportunity presented by the Towns’ Fund).

• Reducing the impact of the Council’s services on the environment through the adoption and implementation of a Carbon Reduction Strategy and providing leadership across the district.

In addition to the programmes of work above, the council is delivering a number of major projects that aim to increase income to support the delivery of services through its new development company, Invest East Lindsey.

The company’s activity includes modernisation of Kingfisher Caravan Park in Ingoldmells. Income generated from the company’s activities will be used to support service provision, with further initiatives to be developed over the next 12 months.

Portfolio Holder for Finance, Councillor Richard Fry, said: “This is an ambitious budget bringing forward a number of major programmes that will be hugely positive for the district.

“Working with partners to encourage economic growth and reduce deprivation are key areas of focus for us; along with investment to reduce the council’s impact on the environment.

“I’d encourage people to digest our proposals and take part in the consultation.”

To read the full budget proposals and to take part in the consultation click here

• The consultation is open until February 13. Once the consultation is completed the views of the community will be passed back to the Executive Board for consideration on February 19. A report will then go to Council on March 4.