1.9 per cent council tax rise is agreed for City of Lincoln Council services
Residents in Lincoln are set to pay nearly 2 per cent more for services like bin collections and parks maintenance from April 1 after the ruling Labour executive agreed the city council's share of the council tax bill this evening.
A 1.9 increase in the City of Lincoln Council's portion of the tax means means people in band A properties will pay £160.62, and £187.39 in band B.
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A 1.9 per cent council tax rise has been agreed by the City of Lincoln Council executive
Weekly bills for city council services are to rise by six or seven pence per week for most homes.
This is in addition to the £710.46 band A charge for Lincolnshire County Council services and £126.72 to Lincolnshire Police in this band.
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At band B the county council charge is £828.87 and £147.84 is the cost towards policing.
The total band A bill for Lincoln, made up of city council , county council and police charges, is therefore £997.80 and £1,164.10 at band B. The bills for 2013/14 are set to be ratified by a meeting of the full council on Tuesday night.
The proposed increase in the city council's share follows a major review of its spending as it faces having to find more than £1 million in annual savings in 2013/14 and a further £2 million annual savings by 2016/17.
Cash-saving measures proposed so far include charging £25 a household annually for green garden waste collections, axing the three urban rangers, the commons warden and the sports development team and pulling the £50,000 Walk and Ride bus subsidy.
The Drill Hall grant support is to be reduced by £75,000, spread over four to five years and the £1000 a year per councillor ward budget for local good causes slashed.
City council leader Ric Metcalfe said: "We simply cannot continue to cut spending in the face of continued reduction in Government funding and provide the people of Lincoln with the services they deserve.
"Even with this small increase in council tax we have had to make difficult decisions that will impact on some services and those who deliver them."
But he said the council remained committed to its revised priorities of growing the local economy, protecting the city's poorest people from the effects of the recession and increasing the supply of affordable housing.
He added: "These are without doubt the toughest cuts we have faced so far as a council.
"We have to look closely at every single service we offer but what I can say is that the services we will continue to deliver will be provided at the highest quality we can achieve."
The 2013/14 budget and council tax increase is due to be ratified at a meeting of the full council on Tuesday.
North Kesteven District Council has agreed a 3.66 per cent rise in its share of the council tax, meaning £ 93.36 at band A and £108.92 at band B for its services.
A 1.5 per cent rise in West Lindsey District Council's portion of the council tax was due to be agreed tonight, meaning a £127.56 charge at band A and £148.82 at band B.
3 Comments
by StudentDefend
Wednesday, March 06 2013, 12:26PM
“@VictorToo the City Council haven't had a pay rise since 2009 so my guess is they won't be giving themselves a pay rise at all”
by VictorToo
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 8:47AM
“I wonder how much of a pay rise these councillors will be awarding themselves.
An increase in the tax bill which covers bin collections, and another £25 on top of that for the green bin, that's two council tax rises surely ?”
by Sir_Chasm
Tuesday, March 05 2013, 12:15AM
“Labour failing to balance the books - gee, who'd a thunk it?”