Possibilities for increasing council tax next year will now go out to consultation with the public.
Lincolnshire County Council’s executive have met to agree initial budget proposals for the authority, that include millions of pounds of savings and reducing the council’s future debt and borrowing.
At this stage, the council’s budget can be balanced with these savings and by increasing the county council’s element of council tax by 4.99%. However, other options for lower council tax rises are being considered and a decision will be taken following public consultation.
Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, Cllr Sean Matthews, said:
“Since taking control of the council in 2025, we have been on a constant drive to reduce waste within the council and drive down the historic debt that the council has.
“This is our first budget as a new administration and we have been faced with £82.6m of additional costs this year because of increased service costs and demand.
“We have also inherited a number of property assets that have not been maintained as they should – including the amazing Lincoln Castle, which needs a proper planned maintenance programme. We’ve built this into the budget along with an extra £2m for drainage works next year – as preventing flooding is a key priority for us.
“None of our executive want to increase council tax at all. However, we know that to avoid cutting services, and to get the most funding from the government, this is required. We want to know what the public think though as we really do understand that times are hard for our residents.”
You can now take part in the budget and council tax consultation and give your feedback on Let's Talk Lincolnshire.