Bills are going up: North Kesteven District Council ups its share of Council tax bill by 3.23 per cent

At a rescheduled meeting of the Full Council yesterday (Tuesday), due to the snow, a gross budget of £51,202,300 (net figure of £13,392,600) was given the go-ahead.

This covers important services including refuse and recycling, planning control, economic development and tourism initiatives, public protection, food hygiene inspections, leisure, sports, arts and more.

The budget means a rise in the authority’s share of Council Tax of 3.23 per cent equating to £4.95 extra for average Band D properties or less than 10 pence per week.

Around three-quarters of properties in NK are in Bands A-C, equating to a rise of between six and eight pence per week for these households, says the authority

Although the District Council collects Council Tax it ultimately takes only nine per cent of the overall sum, with Lincolnshire County Council receiving around three quarters and the Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner and parish and town councils sharing the remainder.

The county council is raising its share by 4.95 per cent and the Police and Crime Commissioner is raising the force’s demand by 5.6 per cent.

This means a Band D property in Sleaford will have a bill of £1,719.38 for the coming year, while the same banded property in Metheringham will cost £1,732.34 and £1,731.84 in Wilsford. Whereas it will cost just £1,608.66 in Asgarby and Howell.

Alongside the services the authority delivers, it is also investing in the district. Last year, the council approved the next phase of an ambitious ten-year £130 million investment programme across its five priority areas – Our Homes, Our Communities, Our Economy, Our Council and the publicly-endorsed Our Environment – aiming to help create jobs, build homes, provide infrastructure, create better leisure opportunities and secure public services.

The budget for housing was also approved, funded through £15.1 million of rental income, and maintains the council’s housing stock and allows new homes to be built.

Coun Richard Wright, Leader of NKDC, said: “I am pleased that our careful and comprehensive financial planning means that not only can we provide the high-quality services our residents deserve, we can continue to invest in the district, making it prosperous for all.

“In our survey late last year, almost 85 per cent of residents and 98 per cent of stakeholders believed the council is focusing on the right things, which is testament to the hard work put in by both officers and members of the authority.

“We will continue to deliver the very best services we can for all who live, work and visit North Kesteven, while always looking for ways to improve and areas we can invest to support our district of flourishing communities.”