Spending plans unveiled

A key feature will be extra funds for improved services, including an extra 4 million a year for roads and transport.

There are also extra funds for other high priorities including reducing crime and disorder, economic regeneration, the fire and rescue service and social care improvements.

Efficiency savings of three per cent each year will help to pay for this.

Coun Nick Carter OBE, the executive councillor for resources, said: “This is a good budget which accommodates key budget pressures and a number of service improvements.

“We also believe in delivering value for money with efficiency savings and a proposed increase in council tax of only 64 pence per week on a band D property.”

In particular, the highways and traffic service has received a boost in gaining additional funding to meet some of the major budget pressures for the next financial year.

To assist in better maintenance of the highway assets, extra finances will be used to deal with problems on unclassified roads (1,320,000), street lighting (300,000) and traffic signals (300,000).

John Edlington, head of the council’s highways service development, said: “To provide a better routine maintenance service, we will be spending 1,200,000 on providing rapid response teams to deal with high priority highway issues and 500,000 on extra drainage cleansing and jetting, to help in reducing future flooding risk.

“The remaining 100,000 will go towards tackling the ever-increasing problem of trees and bushes overhanging road signs and footways.”

The council has been asking Lincolnshire people to choose between three options for council services and the council tax, receiving over 1,800 responses so far.

The highest vote (41 per cent) was for council tax increases of between three per cent and four per cent with some improvements in services.

But 26 per cent preferred a higher increase while 33 per cent preferred a lower increase of two per cent to three per cent with no improvements.

Lincolnshire County Council already has one of the lowest council taxes in the country and aims to keep the tax increase to 3.5 per cent next year, the most popular option.

There will be further consultation on the council’s proposals with final decisions being taken in February.