North Kesteven share of council tax bill to rise by almost 3 per cent

Council tax bills in North Kesteven will rise by 2.96 per cent for services provided by the district authority

The increase of between 7p and 10p a week was approved by councillors last week for NKDC services including waste and recycling collections, benefits administration, arts and leisure facilities, food hygiene inspections, licensing and planning.

The authority covers the area mainly south of Lincoln including North Hykeham and the Cliff villages - when residents’ bills arrive mid-March they will also include charges from Lincolnshire County Council, Lincolnshire Police and, in most cases, the local town or parish council.

The broader budget position allows for a capital investment plan of £170m over three years and £352m over ten; of which £181m is targeted for new homes to meet resident and community needs.

Council Leader Cllr Richard Wright said North Kesteven faced challenges that included reduced central funding and the demise of the council itself through Local Government Reorganisation.

“It would be easy to scale back investment plans, but that is not what we are about. 

“This administration’s clear commitment is to support our residents, our businesses, our communities and our environment. It not only builds on the solid foundations that we have worked so hard to create but also drives forward a positive future for the district.

“This administration continues to meet these challenges head on, continues to invest in our district and continues to deliver for our residents. The fact that it appears almost certain the local authority we currently decide upon will not be here in two to three years’ time, does not mean that the same residents won’t still exist. And the plans and investment we put in place now will be carried forward by the new authority to realise those ambitions and aspirations for those residents. We owe it to our residents to do the best we can for them, regardless of whether we’ll be here to see all the well-laid plans come to fruition or not.”